MIAMI - SOUTH FLORIDA RESTAURANT NEWS ARCHIVE

Openings

A new and improved version of chef Jonathan Eismann’s pioneering Pacific Time, a Pacific Rim spot which folded a year ago after a 14-year run on Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road, has opened in Miami’s current hottest destination dining locale, the Design District. While many dishes at the new PT retain a strong East-West Asia/California identity, creations like salt-and-pepper skate with green apple-celery root puree, lemongrass, and basil oil also display Mediterranean fusion influences, and a separate bar menu ranges from hot and sour popcorn shrimp to steak frites. The 150-seat indoor/outdoor restaurant is open for dinner nightly, and lunch---as well as a Happy Hour with drink specials and free bar snacks---Monday-Friday. Pacific Time, 35 NE 40th St., Miami, 305-722-7369.

Better late than never: About six months later than scheduled, Fratelli Lyon, an Italian restaurant, has opened on the ground floor of design showroom Diode, in the Design District. While owner Ken Lyon is best known for his pioneering early 1990s café/gourmet market/wine shop Lyon Freres, in South Beach, as well as a later catering company (which provides the eats at the Wolfsonian Museum’s Dynamo Café), it is his membership in Slow Food Miami that is most noticeable in Fratelli’s menu, which features artisan cheeses, salumi sourced from small purveyors, seasonal organic produce from local farms, and house-baked breads. Chef is Brian Morales (whose resume lists stints at Daniel Boulud’s Daniel plus noted local restaurants like Blue Door at the Delano and Pascal’s on Ponce).

Young James Beard Rising Star chef John Suley has started down the restaurant empire road, opening Joley (a spin-off of his Café Joley, in Boca Raton), in South Beach’s The Astor hotel. The dramatically re-designed indoor/outdoor space was formerly occupied by the much-hyped but short-lived Johnny V South Beach. Much of Suley’s very personal contemporary cuisine demonstrates definitive global influences, from regions ranging from Italy and France (foie gras with fig/port wine chutney; wild mushroom risotto with mascarpone and roast garlic) to the Middle and Far East (lamb four ways—almond-crusted chop, crisp shank, roast leg, and merguez sausage—with chickpea puree and cumin-mint jus; grilled Tasmanean sea trout with soba noodles and edamame, in ginger broth). But those who just want an all-American cowboy rib eye steak can get one, too. Joley, 956 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305-534-3343.

Most chefs work for a decade or more in others’ restaurants before daring to buy and run their own place, but chefs/spouses Juan Mario Maza and Vani Maharaj jumped in with both feet. After studying culinary arts at Johnson & Wales, the young marrieds worked at Miami star chef Michelle Bernstein’s Michy’s (Maza as a prep cook, Maharaj making salads), for barely a year before opening new Alta Cocina. Though the eatery’s name means “haute cuisine,” best bets on the global fusion menu are the casual dishes that stay closest to home (or, rather, the chefs’ Caribbean—and Bernsteinean—culinary roots): light bacalao fritters with tangy/sweet tamarind sauce; zesty Trinidad-style curried chicken accompanied by steaming West Indian roti bread; and very tasty salads.

At the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Aventura, celebrity chef Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak opened at the end of December, marking the first time that a dining venue at the exclusive private resort has been open to the general public. And so far, the general public has descended like locusts to scarf Mina signature dishes like an elegant deconstructed lobster pot pie; sides such as European-style frites (deep-fried in duck fat so they’re crisp on the outside and soft within), accompanied by several dipping sauces; and even, sometimes, steak. Though Mina remains San Francisco-based (when he isn’t off surveying other restaurants in his growing mini-empire), the executive chef in the kitchen is Andrew Rothschild, locally renowned for his restorative stint at Miami Beach’s landmark steakhouse The Forge. Bourbon Steak, 19999 West Country Club Dr., Aventura, 786-279-0658.

A much anticipated outpost of locally-favored hot dog emporium Dogma Grill has opened in North Miami, in a 1950s building that, prior to renovation, housed the authentic Mexican eatery Burrito Grill. Though the new modern/retro venue (seating 15 inside, 25 outside) is considerably fancier-looking than the original Biscayne Boulevard shack in Miami’s Upper East Side, the menu features the same fresh-off-the-grill (never heat-lamped) all-beef, turkey, and tofu franks—with, most vital, the same imaginative array of regionally and internationally-inspired toppings. But in recognition of its artsy neighborhood (home to Miami’s Museum of Contemporary Art, as well as numerous galleries), the new grill has added several items. These include the Frank Stellar, a melted Swiss-lined bun framing a butterflied hot dog “canvas” decorated, in Frank Stella-like abstract minimalist style, with a bold block of pickle and concise condiment stripes. Dogma Grill, 899 NE 125th St., North Miami, 305-893-6462.

For gourmet fast food aficionados who favor burgers over dogs, a branch of Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries–the East Coast’s answer to the West Coast’s legendary In-N-Out Burger–has opened in The Shops at Midtown Miami. The bill of fare, similar in its calorically sinful simplicity to In-N-Out’s, is pretty much summarized in the eatery’s name, except that Five Guys also offers a kosher hot dog and a veggie sandwich. The freshly-made burgers (all cooked well-done, but juicy) come with choice of 15 free toppings/sauces; the freshly-made fries (regular or spicy Cajun-style) are hand-cut from sourced potatoes; and, though cooking-upon-order means the fast food doesn’t come as quickly as at McWendyKing, there are free peanuts to munch while you wait. Five Guys Burger and Fries, 3401 North Miami Ave., Suite 124, Miami, 305-571-8345.

At old-timey Allen’s Drug Store, the longtime soda fountain/diner tenant Picnics (now relocated father west on Coral Way) has just been replaced by a spin-off of midtown Miami’s S & S Diner, a renowned Art Deco-era landmark that’s long been a favored film location. The equally retro-looking southern S & S is the original diner’s first expansion since opening in 1938, and has one advantage over its tiny, single-countered parent eatery: table seating. S & S Diner at Allen’s Drugs, 4000 Red Rd., Coral Gables, 305-668-2526.

In downtown Miami’s Brickell financial district—once boring to any but bankers, now an exploding locale for upscale destination dining spots—Andu, an indoor/outdoor eatery whose look is a mix of Sobe’s casual designer-chic and the Gables’ more formal upscale Latin flash, has opened. Though the food’s stated mainly Mediterranean orientation would not normally inspire much beyond yawns in a town glutted with the genre, the menu was masterminded by chef Jason McClain, of much-praised and much-missed global hotspot 8 1/2 (which folded abruptly last September). Further, hot rising young (26) chef Nate Martin, McClain’s sous chef at 8 1/2, is top toque in Andu’s kitchen. The menu includes light bites like pesto-marinated swordfish panini, and similarly atypical substantial fare that is technically, in the food world, referred to as “not the usual stuff”. Andu, 141 SW 7th St., Miami, 786-871-7005.

So much for the short-lived David Bouley Evolution. David Bouley at South Beach is coming to town. According to Mr. Bouley, a new ownership group has taken over, and the renamed restaurant is expected to open soon. The menu will be similar to that of Upstairs at Bouley Bakery in New York, which features an eclectic menu of smaller plates from sushi offerings to burgers and Japanese-influenced fish dishes. David Bouley at South Beach, 1669 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-604-6090.

All
hail The Dubliner, an Irish pub from Palm
Beach restaurateurs Rodney Mayo and Scott Frielich, who
also own Howley's Diner, Respectable Street Cafe in West
Palm Beach and Dada in Delray Beach. Chef Bruce Feingold
will be cooking up the classics—shepherd's pie, lamb
stew, house-brined beef with cabbage, fish and chips. And
the not-so: a Guinness-spiked fondue, for example. Look
for another Dubliner in Boca later this winter. The Dubliner,
2000 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561-630-0590.

Table
8 South Beach, with celebrity chef Govind Armstrong
from Table
8 in Los Angeles, debuted in late December at The Regent
South Beach, the newly built luxury hotel. Can you say room
service? Partner/executive chef Armstrong can, only here
it’s called 24 hour in-suite dining. With the LA restaurant
closing for renovation, we can expect the chef to be exclusively
ours for a while. That should make for some chow—or
at least some eye candy—that’s actually worth
the hype. Table 8 South Beach, 1458 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach,
305-672-4554.

La
Goulue Christian Delouvrier opened late October
in Bal Harbour Shops. This Parisian-style bistro, with renowned
chef-partner Delouvrier at the helm, is a bit more casual
than the upscale NYC establishment, but promises to be no
less high-end when it comes to the regional French cuisine.
Another location will open in Boca Raton in 2007. La Goulue
Christian Delouvrier, Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave.,
Bal Harbour, 305-865-2181, www.lagouluebalharbour.com.

Michael's
Genuine Food & Drink, from hometown fave chef
Michael Schwartz (ex-afterglo) and wife Tamara, is set to
debut this February in the Design District. This will be
the first place he’s owned since his venerable Nemo days, with plenty of his past signatures beckoning back
old customers and new items, plated in four differently
sized portions (small, medium, large and extra-large) attracting
the uninitiated. Longtime friend and Au Bon Climat winemaker
Jim Clendenen is a partner. Michael’s Genuine Food
& Drink, 130 N.E. 40th St., Miami.

Vita
Restaurant has re-opened its outdoor garden space
as the 120-seat Vita Garden. Owner Roberto Caan wants to
keep things “fresh and hip,” with a new glass
bar, additional lighting and plenty of flower beds and plants.
Caan is also planning a new concept for the indoor space
in 2007. Vita Garden Restaurant, 1906 Collins Ave., Miami
Beach, 305-538-7855.

Big
Time Restaurant Group returns to Clematis Street, one of
its first haunts, with a new venue: Nobles.
The bar, an up-market 3,500-square-footery that aligns closely
with other concepts City Cellar, City
Oyster, City Kitchen and the original Big City Tavern,
features live music. Nobles, 213 Clematis St., West Palm
Beach, 561-651-1075.

Asia
goes royal with Zensai Asian Grill, a pan-Asian
place that offers a multitude of Thai, Japanese, Chinese
and Vietnamese dishes. You’ll have to go west for
it, though, not east. Zensai Asian Grill, 10223 Okeechobee
Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, 561-795-8882.

The
third time is really not that charming: OLA Miami,
which started life on Biscayne Boulevard before transferring
to the Savoy Hotel, has re-opened in its third location
as of November 1. Now at The Sanctuary in the former Sugo
space, the indoor/outdoor 80-seat restaurant, including
the bar and lounge area, offers roof top dining for private
parties. Executive chef Jose Luis Flores, who is also heads
up Ola
Steak & Tapas in Coral Gables, has added more ceviches
and smaller plates, served family-style. OLA Miami, The
Sanctuary Hotel, 1745 James Ave, Miami Beach, 305-695-9125.

Ideas,
a modern yet classic Spanish restaurant, has turned on the
Coconut Grove culinary community like a lightbulb. The 60-seat
restaurant is owned by Jose Luis Esteve and presents chef
Alvaro Beade, a native of Valladolid, Spain, who marries
contemporary gastronomic techniques and technology with
authentic and fresh ingredients to create intensely flavored
dishes that are both innovative and traditional. Ideas Restaurant,
2833 Bird Rd., Coconut Grove, 305-567-9074.

Miami’s
fine cuisine scene will evolve even further with the opening
of David Bouley Evolution in December. Expect
the best of French and Japanese fusion cuisine. David Bouley
Evolution, 1669 Collins Ave., Miami Beach.

Hobo’s
Fish Joint, which went bankrupt two years ago at its
Coral Springs location, has re-opened in Deerfield Beach. Chef-proprietor
Steven LaBiner is presenting the same great menu that won kudos
from area critics, plus some new dishes. Hobo’s Fish Joint,
246 S. Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach, 954-571-9700.

Sublime,
the vegan haven that was damaged by the 2005 series of hurricanes,
has re-opened with a fresh outlook and a sophisticated list
of globally inspired “green” fare. Sublime, 1431
N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale, 954-615-1431, www.sublimeveg.com.

The
Podoni family makes it easy to say mangia: The second
U.S. location of their Palladio Italian Gourmet Market,
featuring 100 international cheeses, 800 vintages of wine and
65 prepared dishes every day, is debuting in North Miami Beach
on Biscayne Blvd.

The
fish has left the marina: Tuna’s Garden Grille,
a remake of Tuna’s Seafood Grille of Aventura, has opened
in the Greynolds Village & Shoppes. The 300-seat restaurant
relocated after more than two decades in its waterside location.
Tuna’s Garden Grille, 17850 W. Dixie Hwy., North Miami
Beach.

Et
voilá: Brasserie La Cigale has been reborn as just
plain La Cigale. Restaurateur Francis Touboul
moved his much-loved establishment to a new location just South
of Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach, taking the opportunity to
revamp its image as well in terms of both menu and decor. Chef
Farid Oualidi, a Moroccan native, roams France, Spain, Italy
and Africa for “Med-regional” fare such as pan-seared
branzino with braised fennel, dried Roma tomatoes and black
olive tapenade or veal tenderloin wrapped in prosciutto. La
Cigale, 253 Southeast Fifth Ave., Delray Beach, 561-276-6453.

Dinner
and dancing are the ticket at the new Atrium Supper
Club in Boca Raton. Proprietor David Miles, ex-manager
of London's Hippodrome and a former executive chef himself,
has hired Wolfgang
Puck vet Stuart Hursch and Manhattan’s River Café-trained
Brian Smith to control the direction of the menu. Watch for
plenty of cuts of meat, including Kobe beef filet, paired with
compound butter, and a wine program that features 24 vintages
by the glass. Atrium Supper Club, 301 Yamato Road, Boca Raton,
561-995-9090.

Where,
oh where, has Christina Wan gone, you ask?
The short answer: Fort Lauderdale. No longer in the Hollywood
location where she made her name, the restaurateur has opened
a new, more sophisticated version of her popular Chinese spot.
The reasonable wine list is another unexpected bonus. Christina
Wan's, 664 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale, 954-527-0228.

All
white in décor elements and clean-lined in cuisine as
well, the Sushi House is a contemporary take
on Japanese cuisine, put together by restaurateur Mark Koyfman
and Chef Enrique Jasso. A veteran of Su Casa of Tokyo in Chicago,
co-owner Jasso and co- executive chef Jesus Comeras’ “modern
sushi” menu allows for the introduction of global influence—think
jalapaños in some of the sushi rolls—and terrific
wine pairings with menu specialties, such as Valley of the Moon
pinot blanc with the house signature spicy octopus tail. Sushi
House, 15911 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach, 305-947-6002.

For
a bit of the Brit combined with a dash of South Beach, stop
in at The Betsy Bistro and Tea Room at The
Betsy Ross Hotel for traditional cream tea, high tea or a light
lunch. Designed by Shiraz FL caterers, the menu offers the classic
cucumber sandwiches and scones with Devonshire clotted cream
as well as heartier bites such as mini burgers and coconut-crusted
filet of salmon stuffed with raison-mango chutney. Too hot for
a cuppa English breakfast? Sip on the Mar-Tea-Ni cocktail instead.
The Betsy Bistro and Tea Room, 1440 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach,
305-531-3934, ext. 356.

Wine
bars rage on: The new D’Vino, meaning
either “divine” or “from the wine,”
depending on your interpretation, has launched in Coral Gables.
The 56-seatery, which presents 40 small-batch wines by the glass
and a menu of small plates, also features a second-story boutique
for tastings and seminars. D’Vino, 3143 Ponce de Leon
Blvd., Coral Gables, 305-443-8466.

No,
it wasn’t named for the address. Nor is FIFTY
Restaurant & Lounge a fusion of ingredients or
dishes, say executive chef Roly Cruz-Taura, his sous chefs Nestor
Gomez and Augustin Toriz and pasty chef Carolina Romero. Rather,
they call the fare Progressive American Cuisine, defining it
as “a combination of classic American fare presented in
a contemporary style with dishes influenced by a variety of
cultures and countries that have found their way onto the American
table.” More important to note, perhaps, is that the launch
date is late June. FIFTY Restaurant & Lounge, 444 Ocean
Dr., Miami Beach.

Absinthe has opened in the Boca Center adjacent to the Boca
Raton Marriott. Chef Esteban Arguedas’ menu features
brasserie fare with specialties like the roasted chicken and
mizuna salad with pomegranate-sweet chili vinaigrette, polenta-crusted
diver scallops and rotisserie du jour. For dessert, try the
brandy braised pineapple with curried ice cream. Design elements
pay tribute to the storied liquer of its namesake. Open for
breakfast, lunch and dinner. Absinthe, 5150 Town Center Cir.,
Boca Raton, 561-620-3745, www.absintheboca.com.

Just
in time for summer, an al fresco version of the Oakwood
Grill steakhouse has debuted in Palm Beach Gardens.
Owner John Spoto has also initiated a lighter, more family-friendly
menu offering moderately priced items such as ribs, burgers
and freshly grilled fish. 4610 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens,
561-776-5778, www.oakwoodgrill.com.

Cornwall
meets Jupiter Farms with the Queen Mary British Pub.
Its three native Birmingham owners, Deborah Walker and her sister
and brother-in-law Vanessa and Neil Archer, are showcasing their
Cornish grandmum's recipes, including the famous pasties. 16891
Jupiter Farms Road, Jupiter, 561-747-6317.

Il
Cioppino has taken over the Il Trullo space
in Lantana. Chef-owner Gregorio Filipo is an ex-toque of Renato's
in Stuart and Carmine's Trattoria in Palm Beach Gardens. He
and wife Rosa provide an upscale Mediterranean menu that highlights
fish as well as the seafood dish for which the restaurant is
named. 210 E. Ocean Ave., Lantana, 561-588-1420.

Former
Palm Beach Bice vets Francesco Blanco, a maître d’, and chef Fabrizio
Giorgi have opened Café Sapori in the
old Jo’s space in West Palm Beach. The fare maintains
an Italian focus but is occasionally accented with other ethnicities,
including “Spanish Japanese.” Yes, it seems even
Italian restaurants can’t escape the tapas and sushi trend.
205 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, 561-805-7313.

From
the Chicago Art Museum to the center of plastic surgery: The
caterer for the former now is the restaurateur in the latter
at Polo101, a tiny spot that somehow manages
to shout its thoroughbred bloodlines. 5030 Champion Blvd., Boca
Raton, 561-997-2922.

Chef
Jorge Varona, ex-Mark’s
South Beach, Pacific
Time and Chispa,
and brother Jean-Paul, ex-Biltmore Hotel and Touch,
have joined forces to open The Varona Boulevard in
Hollywood. Brotherly love is expressed in such items as guava-glazed
salmon, mojo-marinated mahi-mahi and chili-rubbed flank steak.
1926 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 954-272-6836.

Because
we need more pasta filling out our bikinis, Il Mulino premiers in Sunny Isles Beach in May. The Abruzzi-inspired menu
features its signature items, including spaghettini Bolognese,
rack of lamb, the legendary langoustines and the complimentary
antipasto tasting comprising soppresatta, bruschetta, fried
zucchini and garlic-cheese bread sticks that begins all dinners.
Reservations can be made by calling 305-466-9191 beginning the
end of April 2006. 17780 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach,
305-918-8000.

VINO
Miami, a wine bar with a retail component, has materialized
in South Beach, much to the delight of the adults who sometimes
still brave the club-heavy social scene. With more than 400
boutique labels by the bottle and 50 by the glass, the spot
features wine happy hours, tastings and other grape-related
events. 1601 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 786-207-8466.

Palm
Beach Gardens just keeps growing. But with the addition of The
Strip House this April, it’ll also be losing—some
of that steadfast Palm Beach-style staidness. With scarlet-hued
walls, pink lighting and photos of vintage burlesque stars,
the tongue-in-cheek steakhouse, the fourth location in the metropolitan
New York chain, pays homage to healthy meat and robust appetites.
Just don’t expect live entertainment à la Rachel’s
Steak House and Gentlemen’s Club. Downtown at the Gardens,
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave., Palm Beach Gardens, 561-296-4900.

Absinthe,
a chicly designed and, we can only hope, aptly named restaurant
and bar, opened in the Boca Center. The 240-seat space features
the fare of Costa Rican native Esteban Arguedas, who takes his
influences from Asia, Europe and Latin America. 5150 Town Center
Circle in Boca Raton, 561-620-3754, www.absintheboca.com.

Do
look twice: Quattro Gastronomia Italiana, featuring
the talents of Nicola and Fabrizio Carro, twin chefs hailing
from the Piemonte region of Italy, will open in April. Owners
Karim Masri (of Hotel Astor/Astor Place) and Nicola Siervo (Joia),
who currently co-own Mynt, along with partners Nicola Schon
and ex-Heat player Rony Seikaly, promise monthly tasting menus,
matched by an all-Italian wine list selected by Schon, who is
also a vintner. 1014 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, 305-531-4833.

And
look twice again: Michy’s in Miami’s
Upper East Side has opened, as has Social Miami at Sagamore
Hotel on South Beach. What do they have in common? Chef
Michelle Bernstein, who is co-proprietor of Michy’s with
local restaurateur Steven Perricone, and chef-consultant for
restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow’s Social in both Miami and Hollywood.
Chances of finding her in person are better at the 50-seat Michy’s,
for the record. Michy’s, 6927 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-759-2001;
Social Miami, Sagamore Hotel, 1671 Collins Ave., Miami Beach,
786-594-3344, www.sagamorehotel.com.

So
you don’t know what a firkin is. Join the club and find
out at the Firkin & Friar Pub, located
where the brilliantly failed Don Quixote tilted at windmills,
while you nosh on typical Brit pub fare such as bangers and
mash and fish and chips. Draw a pint or two and get a clue.
Still haven’t got it? Okay, we’ll tell you. A firkin
is a small wooden barrel. See? Now get your mind out of the
gutter and back to the dart board. 3148 Commodore Plaza, Coconut
Grove, 305-443-2774, www.firkinpubs.com.

And
now for something not completely but at least a little refreshingly
different: Rice House of Kabob, a quick-service
(as opposed to fast-food) Persian place, offers deceptively
simple kebabs on rice pilaf speckled with barberries and saffron
(or lima beans and dill or lentils and raisins). Highly charged
with marinated, char-grilled flavor, the beef, chicken and swordfish
skewered chunks are also delicious stuffed into just-baked tandoori
bread and laced with cucumber-yogurt sauce. 1318 Alton Rd.,
Miami Beach, 305-531-0332.

The
Yard House, as in that’s how we measure our beer,
has debuted at Downtown at the Gardens. The restaurant offers
more than 100 items as well as a prix-fixe children’s
menu and daily late-night dining, with the American Fusion fare
courtesy of executive chef and partner Carlito Jocson. With
a nod to his Filipino heritage, many of chef Jocson’s
dishes feature flavors of the Pacific Rim paired with more traditional
fare, from open-ended moo shu eggrolls to turkey pot pie. But
those stats are nothing compared to the brewski’s: the
glass-enclosed keg room will house as much as 200 kegs and some
1,000 gallons of beer at any given time; more than five miles
of steel tubing stretches from the keg room to the signature
island bar; and a fleet of 130 handles highlight regionally
produced brews. 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens, Palm Beach Gardens,
561-691-6901.

Santo,
a Mexican haute cuisine venue, has opened on Lincoln Road. Run
by a former principal of the erstwhile Rumi, the restaurant
features an after-hours nightclub. But foodies will want to
go for the whole fish, split in half and cooked in a wire basket
to succulent perfection. 430 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, 305-532-2882.

And
then there’s City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill,
also set to give nearby Houston’s a competitor for happy
hour and Fleming’s a run for its vino. From the Big Time
folks who brought South Florida Big City Tavern and City Oyster,
City Cellar may offer a pat formula, but the 500-bottle wine
selection more than compensates. 45 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables.

The Atrium Supper Club, whose Art Deco style channels
the Copacobana, is set to open in Boca Raton, Florida, on February
10, 2006. Lunch will be served as the Atrium's Sidewalk Café,
and live jazz, blues and swing music will be featured nightly.
301 Yamato Rd., Boca Raton, 561-995-9090.

Peek
in at the Spy Lounge and Brasserie, open mid-January
in The Catalina Hotel and Beach Club, and you’ll probably
want to stay with your eyes wide open. The French-based menu—rack
of lamb, short ribs, salmon over ratatouille with a warm balsamic
dressing—is enticing for this time of year. 1756 Collins
Ave., Miami Beach, 305-761-9564, www.thespylounge.com.

Driving
the nail into the billboard advertising the comeback of Ocean
Drive: LA’s celeb chef Govind Armstrong anticipates opening Table 8 South Beach in the new Regent Hotel
in late February or early March. Our guess is that he’s
aiming to get it up and running just before the South Beach
Wine & Food Festival (Feb. 24-26, 2006), in which he’s
participating as co-host of the American Express Grand Tasting.
The Regent Hotel, 1458 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 305-695-4114,
www.table8southbeach.com.

Hollywood’s Argentango has indeed diversified as promised,
but not in the Biscayne Boulevard spot where it’s had
a banner up for the past two years (and which the website estimated
would debut in fall 2005). Instead, the popular Argentine steakhouse
has opened doors—and more sophisticated ones they are,
too—in Coral Gables. 1930 Ponce de Leon, Coral Gables,
305-461-6488, www.argentangogrill.com.

Brothers
Alex and Victor Lopez recently launched AV Grill and
Wine Bar in North Miami Beach, a 34-seatery that is
already running Spanish wine theme dinners and is planning more.
Pretty ambitious for a strip-mall locale, but then you can’t
get anywhere without guts in this town—and, come to think
of it, a lot of wine. 3055 NE 163rd St., North Miami Beach,
305-945-7576.

Jay
Simpson and Cindy White obviously have a penchant for puns as
well as Pinot. Their wine shop and bar, The Grape Escape,
opened in the Dolce Vita spot in downtown Lake Worth. 9 N "J"
St., Lake Worth, 561-493-3330.

Uber-banker
Joe Castro works his prestigious day job, then slips into something
a little more comfortable at night—the kitchen of his
new restaurant, Vida! Bistro & Wine Bar.
The forty-seat eatery, which he runs with wife Maria, offers
only prix-fixe meals (three-course for $40, five-course for
$65 and seven-course for $75), and the dishes depend on what
Joe feels like making. Don’t fret—he usually feels
like making at least one dish with foie gras, another with caviar
and a third with venison, Wagyu beef, Scottish salmon, duck
breast or whatever luxe ingredient comes his way. 1915 Ponce
de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, 305-443-8863, www.vidabistro.com.

Former
Ortanique on the Mile GM Michael Shikany has become a competitor.
He’s now just a few blocks away, at the helm of the new La Cofradia. Billed as Mediterranean with Peruvian
influences—Mediterruvian? Perranean?—the menu promises
something just a little bit different. Witness the house risotto,
made with lobster and aji Amarillo chile pepper sauce. 2525
Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables.

OLA
on Ocean, Douglas Rodriguez’s restaurant, relocated
this past summer from Biscayne Boulevard, opened with a slightly
delayed (thanks to Wilma) splash: El Diamante del Cielo tequila,
a hand-crafted spirit aged to its legal potential, sponsored
the launch with samples of its products, hostesses dressed in
custom Cielo-inspired gowns and a live artist painting bottles
for lucky patrons to take home. No doubt the setting for OLA
will prove more hospitable than the construction-ridden Boulevard,
but we could have done without the manufactured “cool”
factor—party guests were forced to wait in line behind
a velvet rope even though the multi-room restaurant was barely
filled. And be forewarned: If the SoBe scene makes you queasy,
you should note that, per OpenTable.com, OLA is “available
for private parties, photo shoots and film production.”
OLA on Ocean, 455 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 305-695-9125, www.olamiami.com.

Gables
Diner, watch out: The king of upscale comfort food, Dennis Max,
returns to Miami with a new Max’s Grille,
to launch any minute now (official projection is the end of
January) in Coral Gables. 2 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, 305-567-2000, www.maxsgrille.com.

Meanwhile, 510 Ocean debuted catty-corner right before
the hurricane on the ground floor of the boutique Bentley
Hotel. Press info has it that the place is already attracting
music celebs of the highest order (read: Madonna). And admittedly,
owners Julie Grimes and Bryan Davis do have a supper-club vibe
going on, reminiscent of the early Nineties. There’s even
a back garden in which to enjoy exec chef Cory “Big Tex”
Smith’s global take on cuisine: beef tenderloin skewer
with gorgonzola crust and chimichurri relish and blackened mahi-mahi
with coconut sweet potato purée and pineapple-rum pico
de gallo, to offer two examples. 510 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach,
305-531-1788.

Miamians
think they have a lock on Cuban restaurants. Bella Cuba tells us to guess again—Cuban native chef-proprietor Juan
Carlos Jimenez and his Ukrain-born wife, Larisa, first opened
in Dublin, Ireland, eleven years ago. Even more compelling a
reason, aside from mojo-marinated pork and coconut-crusted red
snapper, to visit? The 110-bottle wine list. 1659 Washington
Ave., Miami Beach, 305-672-7466, www.bella-cuba.com.

Wine
is a must-quaff at the newly opened Clarke’s,
an insider’s joint where the South Beach elite hang out
when they need a break from being ultra-cool in front of eye-spying
tourists. Essentially an upscale Irish pub with upscale American
and Continental influences thrown in from chef Seth Lowenstein—the
menu ranges from fish and chips to seared sea scallops—it’s
also something of a wine bar, proprietor Laura Cullen having
been a local liquor rep for many years. She knows her stuff,
and it’s reflected in the all-too-interesting wine list.
Pink Pinot Grigio, anyone? Really, it’s quite dry and
delicious. Just ask the other wine salespeople, who gather at
the mahogany bar after (or perhaps during?) their shifts. 840
1st St., Miami Beach, 305-538-9885, www.clarkesmiamibeach.com.

Bless Mr. Chu’s—er, make that Japanese
owner Toni Takarada, who formerly ran Thai Toni’s in this
spot—for bringing fine Chinese dining back to the beach.
Not only do servers dish out the Hong Kong-style cuisine at
this recently revamped restaurant, designed rather like a banquet
room, they argue over who’s going to do it. Now if they’d
only add dim sum to the repertoire, we’d all be happily
plump as pork buns. 890 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-538-8424.

Fratelli
La Bufala brings a new pizza concept to Miami: worship
of the water buffalo. The Italy-based chain, with expat locations
in England and South American, uses only bufala cheeses, imported
from Italy, for its wood-oven fired pizzas. Good antipasti and
numerous pasta dishes round out the menu, with all meat sourced
from water buffalo—the only type of meat served—raised
by local Seminole Indians. That’s some spicy meatball.
437 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-532-0700.

If
you’ve been missing Vino since it disappeared
from the Coconut Grove scene, dry those crocodile tears. Owners
Michael Brooks and Gigi Olah have relocated into a chic spot
on one of South Beach’s main drags. Minimalist décor,
boutique wines and la-di-da nibbles including caviar, foie gras,
smoked salmon and imported meats and cheeses. Now that’s
what we call happy hour! In the words of Lionel Richie, “nnhh!
all night long.” 1601 Washington Pl., Ste. 110, Miami
Beach, 305-532-8466.

The
DiLido Beach Club at The
Ritz-Carlton, South Beach is now open for lunch and dinner
every evening until 10 p.m. What could be more relaxing than
nibbling on chef Bernardo Espinel’s Mediterranean-inspired
menu, including tapas, sandwiches, salads and entrées
after a day of sun and bikinis, South Beach-style? Well, maybe
valet parking, which is complimentary when visiting the restaurants
or lounges. The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, One Lincoln Rd.,
Miami Beach, 786-276-4000.

Ernie’s is the latest from erstwhile Pearl (and other South Beach hot
spots) chef Frank Jeannetti and wife Sandra-Leyva Jeannetti.
The pair named the restaurant for her father, a food aficionado.
The pair also do catering in the sixty-seat, loft-style restaurant
or 300-person on-site ballrooms, as well as in venues of your
choice. So get your quince on. The Imperial House, 5225 Collins
Ave., 305-282-6740, catering@jeannetti.com.

Because
we need more sushi-Thai restaurants like a pomegranate does
seeds, Asia Bay Bistro & Sushi Bar has
debuted in Bay Harbor Islands. Actually, it does bring diversity
to the limited neighborhood, which boasts one modest French
bistro, a more upscale Italian eatery and an expensive steak
house. No doubt Islanders are supine as sashimi with relief.
1007 Kane Concourse, Bay Harbor Islands, 305-861-2222.

Parioli
Café has opened to terrific buzz, the kind not
heard about an Italian restaurant since the long-ago debuts
of Osteria
del Teatro and Escopazzo.
Imported Mediterranean fish—branzino and orata, for starters—and
true-to-roots ingredients are flown in. With a seaside location
and Italian natives owning and staffing the place, Parioli is
authentic, not faux-thentic. 7300 Ocean Terr., Miami Beach,
305-865-4026.

Louie’s
Brick Oven, opened in October by Lou and Debbie DiBono
(formerly of China
Grill and Suva in Miami Beach) and executive chef Jamie
Fisher (formerly of Red Square-Miami) is perfuming the neighborhood.
And not just with grilled vegetable, smoked salmon or meatball
pizzas either. The coal- and wood-fired oven turns out such
items as chicken wings, baby back ribs, even a whole butterflied
trout. 15979 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach, 305-948-3330.

Formerly
Flora’s, EastSide Pizza opened on the
end of the 79th Street Causeway (or the beginning, depending
on your direction). In addition to “cheesy” pizza
names—“Totally a California Delight,” for
instance, comprises goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, and
the “Great White Hope” is made without tomato sauce—the
restaurant, which features al fresco dining, offers the panzerotti,
a take on calzone. 731 NE 79th St., Miami, 305-758-5351.

TacoMax’s first location might seem modest, but owner Joel Laiter has
a grand scheme—he’s already got plans in the works
for locations in Calle Ocho, Dania Beach and South Beach. And
with Mexican native Arturo Gonzalez, the former opening chef
at Jalapeno Jax, at his side, it just might be feasible. Gonzalez
has got a completely different mindset than his competitors,
as evidenced by his pork rind, foie gras and blood sausage soft
corn tacos, among other more traditional offerings, including
his veg-friendly beans and chicken marinated for three days
in citrus juice. 7931 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-759-7774.

Graziano's
in the Gables, sibling to Graziano's Parrilla Argentina,
the Argentine steakhouse on Bird Road and 92nd St. (305-223-4933),
has opened where Giacosa used to ply its trade. Owner Leo Graziano’s
signature 1,000+ wine list alone commands a visit. Graziano's
in the Gables, 394 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables, 305-774-3599.

Proprietor
Sandra Stefani has opened a new wine room in the back of her Casa Toscana. With fourteen seats indoor and
sixteen in the garden, it’s as Lilliputian as the Tuscan
restaurant itself, but as they say, size doesn’t matter.
She’s stocked it with vintages from boutique wineries
and cult bottles from Spain, Italy and South America, and she
is serving them by the glass for $5 or by the bottle close to
retail. Casa Toscana, 7001 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-758-3353.

It’s
all in the name—and the neighborhood: Tarpon Bend Food
& Tackle, also located in Fort Lauderdale and Weston, has
launched in Coral Gables. Like the location in Weston, though,
the name has been tweaked to Tarpon Bend Raw Bar &
Grill. Co-founder Tim Petrillo says, "I think
of every one of our Tarpon Bends like children in a family—each
has a different personality and quirks that make them unique
and playful.” Of course the new title could also be due
to the fact that guests can shoot oysters, enjoy a ceviche trilogy
and choose from a large assortment of local seafood as well
as the Fed Ex’ed goods from seaports all over the world.
Tarpon Bend Raw Bar & Grill, Miracle Mile, Coral Gables,
305-444-3210, www.tarponbend.com.

For a little culture with your café,
check out Tocororo Galeria-Café. Owners
Olga Deulofeu, a Cuban-born artist, writer and poet, and Jules
Mendel, also an artist, have modeled their spot after the Sixties
avant-garde coffeehouses, with a menu that would make a Cuban
cafeteria proud, including sandwiches named for the provinces
on the mother island. Expect live, scheduled and impromptu entertainment
ranging from music to poetry readings. Tocororo Galeria-Café,
1133 71st St., Miami Beach, 305-865-0421.

The
Corner Muse Café (210 NE 18th St., Miami, 305-808-7977) is located within a secondhand
goods store called Shoppie Seconds. This place was formerly
the Florida Grand Opera House—quite a change in concept.

The
Restaurant atThe
Setai(2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach,
305-520-6000, expects to open softly in early August. The menu
will deliver recipes from Southeast Asian cultures, peppered
with some Western influence.

Tantra restaurant and lounge owners Dr. Tim Hogle and his wife Irina
Korneeva clearly want you to have that glow. That’s why
their newest restaurant, afterglo, is set to
debut in August in the original Mezzanotte space. Executive
chef Michael Schwartz’s (ex-Nemo)
“Beauty Cuisine” is designed not only to be delicious
but to impart all the health and nutritional benefits necessary
for the inner supermodel in all of us. afterglo, 1200 Washington
Ave., Miami Beach, 305-695-1717.

Replacing
Mayfair Grill in the Mayfair
Hotel & Spa (yes, it’s now a spa) will be Ginger
Grove Restaurant, set to debut in September (3000 Florida
Ave., Coconut Grove). Executive chef Christian Plotczyk was
previously executive chef at China
Grill in Miami Beach.

Anastasia
is not a Disney movie. Or is she? The effusive artist who goes
by “Anastasia the Great” has finally opened her
long-promised Anastasia Art Café: Ristorante,
Enoteca and Art & Fashion Club—where “art
meets cuisine” and you “dine like a diva.”
Anastasia Art Café, 427 Jefferson Ave., Miami Beach,
305-531-0770.

The aptly
named Boulevard Bistro has taken over where
Café 71 left off. Offering “casual neighborhood
food” to the tune of wraps, paninis, grilled main plates
and gourmet comfort food entrées, as well as daily breakfast
and Saturday brunch, the venue this time around might be something
to hum, if not sing, about. Boulevard Bistro, 7100 Biscayne
Blvd., Miami, 305-762-7600.

Cantina
Beach, The
Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne’s new causal dining venue,
opened up—along with the heavens—on June 17. Fortunately,
the tropical storms held off until most guests had sampled the
café’s Cabo San Lucas-inspired fare. Miami’s
first waterside Mexican restaurant, Cantina Beach offers an
on-premise “tequilier” to educate the public palate
about the best elixirs to mix and sip. Leave it to the Ritz.
The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, 455 Grand Bay Dr., Key Biscayne,
305-365-9575, www.ritzcarlton.com.

A
second location of the highly regarded Biscayne Boulevard hot
dog stand, Dogma, has brought its “frank
philosophy,” along with its buns, to sexy South Beach.
Dogma, 1500 Washington Ave., 305-695-8259.

Popular Prezzo re-opened after a hiatus as Prezzo Martini
Bar & Grill. The retro ’80s head of roasted garlic
is back with a vengeance, as is original chef Mennen Tekali,
who has added more Middle Eastern influences to the Italian
cuisine. Prezzo, Loehmann's Fashion Island, 18831 Biscayne Blvd.,
Aventura, 305-931-5775.

It’s
more than a mouthful at Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar &
Latam Grill, especially if you follow up the seven
ceviches-by-the-spoon and Latin American meat and fish dishes
with dulce de leche cheesecake. A Mexican section on the menu
reminds us that Central America is Latin, too. Good-value South
American wines and beer are the standard. Jaguar Ceviche Spoon
Bar & Latam Grill, 3067 Grand Ave., Coral Gables, 305-444-0216.

Go
with the Flow—sorry, it was too hard to resist—Flow
Restaurant, that is. Located in the former Grillfish
space in Coral Gables, Flow sounds like a similarly minded seafood
restaurant. Don’t be surprised that the name more accurately
recalls the very Cuban, 90 mile rafting experience. Typical
Cuban items include pechuga de pollo à la plancha (pounded,
grilled chicken) and camarones enchilados (shrimp in Creole
sauce) with all the requisite black bean, rice and plantain
accompaniments. Flow Restaurant, 2325 Galliano St., Coral Gables,
305-445-6411.

The
Latin American takeover in south Miami-Dade continues with a
nod to the gods at Ambrosia Peruvian Restaurant in Coconut Grove. Chef-owner Lucia Audibert, a Peruvian native
whose mother ran a well-regarded eatery in Lima, presents a
small menu that manages to adequately pay homage to the country’s
Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, French, African and native Quechua
Indian influences, with dishes ranging from cau cau (tripe,
potato and chili pepper stew) to lomo (beef stir-fry). Ambrosia
Peruvian Restaurant, 2779 Bird Ave., Coconut Grove, 305-529-0000.

Speaking
of the culinary religion, Thira, subtitled
“Taste of the Greek Islands,” also claims it serves
“the food of the gods.” Find out if deities are
among the clientele sampling the multitude of traditional dishes
on the extensive, catch-all—including hummus—menu,
courtesy of chef-owner Margarita Morfidis. Caffeine aficionados
should note that the stone-ground Greek coffee here, including
the yummy iced frappé, is very authentic. The menu advises
ordering it: sketo (no sugar), metrio (medium-sweet) or glyko
(tooth-jarringly sweet). Thira, 100 S. Federal Hwy., Hallandale,
954-454-9676

The
newest location of the 70-year-old, family-owned chain, founded
by Beatrice Ruggeri, has opened under the auspices of her 32-year-old
grandson, Raffaele Ruggeri. Located in the recently launched
oceanfront resort hotel, Le Meridien Sunny Isles Beach, the
restaurant features al fresco oceanfront seating (also a cooler
indoor setting) and the cuisine of two Bice vets, chefs Matteo Migliorini and Marcello Rivetti. But it’s
not all about Italy, oddly enough—Ruggeri has launched
a "Mayan sushi bar," apparently in preparation for
future sushi bars that Bice plans to open in French Polynesia
later this year. Bice, Le Meridien Sunny Isles
Beach, 18683 Collins Ave., North Miami Beach, 305-503-6000.

Jalapeño
Jax looks like it has jump-started a Biscayne corridor location
that had failed to ignite time and again. The freestanding building
has always been a charmer no matter what its ethnicity—kosher
Middle-Eastern Kemia, Japanese Sushi Box—but never a draw
until now. Thanks to owner Buzzy Sklar (former Automatic Slim’s
operator) and executive chef Arturo Gonzalez (ex-Rosa
Mexicano in NYC), happy-hour crowds are thronging the outdoor
picnic tables, and families are flocking for everything from
briskly shaken margaritas to healthy vegetarian burritos. Jalapeño
Jax, 7251 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-751-8030.

PAUL®
Biscayne—and
don’t forget those capital letters and that copyright
symbol—is tempting the typical Aventura Barbie-mom to
go off her low-carb diet with its maiden stateside bakery and
café. The bread and pastry specialist, in operation since
1889 and now with more than 300 locations and franchises in
France, also offers light bistro fare including salads, sandwiches
and hearty soups du jour—served in a bread bowl, of course.
PAUL® Biscayne, 14861 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach,
305-940-4443, www.PAULUSA.com.

Now
you can satisfy more than just your appetite for the written
word at Mitchell Kaplan’s original Books & Books location
on Lincoln Road. Voracious readers can order a variety of panini,
burgers, salad creations and other well-rounded lunchtime fare
at The Café @ Books & Books, an
80-seat indoor-outdoor, full-service restaurant that connects
to the bookstore. Chef Bernard "Bernie" Matz, who
co-founded the Wet Paint Café in 1986, also cooks up
supper ranging from chicken fajitas to vegetarian platters,
served family-style. And yes, from time to time you just might
catch a local writer or two doing the Hemingway thing with a
cold glass—er, bottle—of wine. The Café @
Books & Books, 933 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, 305-695-8898.

Take that, you fat old sausage: Both traditional-minded and
health-conscious Franktitude, with four types
of franks (beef, chicken, salmon and tofu), three types of buns
(white, whole grain and poppy seed) and close to 30 toppings
available, has opened the first of four locations in downtown
Miami. Accoutrements include salads, soups, fries, corn on the
cob, coleslaw and even an ice cream dessert hot dog. Franktitude,
21 NW Miami Ct., Miami.

It
may not bring world peace but it does promise unity of a sort: Oneburger, from The Globe Cafe & Bar proprietor
Daniel Guiteras, has launched next door. It offers four types
of burgers—beef, poultry with veal, seafood and vegetarian—in
various gourmet variations. No discriminating here against French
fries, either, as there are also three types of hand-cut fries
(Yukon Gold potato, yuca and sweet potato). Oneburger, 376 Alhambra
Circle, Coral Gables, www.oneburger.com.

New
in the city is Town Kitchen & Bar, in South
Miami’s Plaza 57 building. Tutti’s Trattoria grads
John Janette, manager, and Stefano LaCava, chef, joined partner
Brandon Lurie in this immediately popular indoor-outdoor, all-things-to-all-citizens
venue. Town Kitchen & Bar, 7310 SW 57 Ct., South Miami.
305-740-8118

It’s
not named after Jennifer Aniston’s favorite diet. Or is
it? Cuisine at the recently unveiled The Zone is “light continental,” according to proprietors
Randy and Bente Lamchick, formerly of Fleming's: A Taste of
Denmark, once owned by Bente's brother, Fleming Johansen. The
Zone, 12313 S. Dixie Hwy., Pinecrest, 305-232-9663.

It’s fire (inside the coal pizza oven) and water (the
direct views of the Intracoastal Waterway) at the new Fire
Rock Grill located in revitalized downtown West Palm.
Fire Rock Grill, One N. Clematis St., West Palm Beach.

Pick
an island, any island. You’re likely to find its representative
cuisine at the Asian/Caribbean/Hawaiian-fusion themed J.
Shores, set in an historic, two-level Venetian-style
building. J. Shores, 300 Clematis St., West Palm Beach.

Nightclub impresario Rodney Mayo reopened The Lounge,
which now features sushi, sashimi and sake, in addition to karaoke
and live acoustic entertainment. The Lounge, 517 Clematis St.,
West Palm Beach.

For
a different take on club-dining, go Underground.
This 3,200 square-foot basement, formerly the site of The Underground
Coffeeworks, now features quick lunches, tapas and a full continental-style
dinner menu. Evenings, The Underground morphs into an upscale,
members-only nightclub, complete with a Russian specialty vodka
and caviar bar. Underground, 105 Narcissus Ave., West Palm Beach.

It’s
run by Italians, which partially accounts for the name: The
Crazy Cuban has opened in Boynton Beach. Another reason?
Owners Sam Mancuso and Bill Brogna restored the 1925 period
building in which it’s housed with wood from a 1909 shipwreck.
Dishes called ropa vieja (literally: old clothes) sound
perfectly at home. The Crazy Cuban, 400 E. Boynton Beach Blvd.,
Boynton Beach, 561-734-1544.

La
Vieille Maison fans, weep no more over its passing: Former chefs
Matthew McDonald and Brett Katz have opened their own restaurant, Spontené. The menu is market-fresh American,
with unique presentations and interesting surprises here and
there. Spontené, 432 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach,
561-276-8848.

Burgers
as Beauty Cuisine?Afterglo,
Miami Beach’s home of self-described “Beauty Cuisine,”
has added lunch to the roster, and it’s not tofu. They
may be all made with specifically-sourced, organic and wild
ingredients, but executive chef Sandee Birdsong’s menu
actually includes burgers, pizza, franks and French fries. Now
that’s what we call beautiful. Afterglo, 1200 Washington
Ave., Miami Beach.

Out
With The Old at Out of Denmark
Delray Beach’s Scandinavian restaurant Out of Denmark
has been emphasizing the “out”—as in, out
with the old. New proprietors Maryann and Jeff Salvey expanded
the place into the space next door, took antiquated dishes such
as tongue and sweetbreads off the menu, lowered prices and added
lunch service, cash-only early-bird dinners and a separate menu
available at the two full bars. Out of Denmark, 1715 S. Federal
Highway, Delray Beach, 561-276-4950.

The
Grape Wine Bar and Retail Seller ripens this fall at
the Village of Merrick Park. Stop in for a glass of wine, a
gourmet meal or a bottle to take home from the wine shop. The
Grape Wine Bar and Retail Seller, Village of Merrick Park, 360
San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables.

This November, Toscano Grille writes a new
script to be played out in the legendary Le Festival restaurant
space. This one, with a custom-built, oak-fired brick oven,
is penned in regional Tuscan by executive chef Ricardo Davila,
formerly of Café Abbracci, and corporate chef Jose Davila,
formerly of Amalfi Ristorante—two brothers, originally
from Nicaragua, who between them have more than 32 years combined
experience in regional Italian cuisine. Under the business auspices
of Alcides Davila, the eldest brother, there’s even room
for improve: Toscano promises an “open menu,” allowing
patrons to order any classic Italian dish, whether or not it’s
listed. Toscano Grille, 2120 Salzedo St, Coral Gables, South
Miami, 305-448-5111.

Formerly
Lila's Bistro of Downtown Miami, Mama Lila's Bistro has opened in the former Vida! Bistro and Wine Bar space. Named
for the Valderrama family’s maternal matriarch, the place
runs on the efforts of four sisters: chef Elisa, who merges
classic culinary training with Peruvian heritage; right-hand
Lili, who works in the kitchen; eldest Rosa, runs the front
of the house; and youngest Roberta, the wine maven. 1915 Ponce
de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, 305-461-2424.

South
Coast Kitchen, with an open kitchen and open-air grill
ready to receive the catch of the day, debuts to the tune of
$2 million in Delray Beach in late autumn. It’s the latest
from Tim Petrillo and corporate chef and co-owner Peter Boulukos,
who operate the Tarpon Bend family of restaurants and the historic
River House on the Fort Lauderdale riverfront. South Coast Kitchen,
290 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach.

After
a couple of years’ absence, brothers Alex and Tony Pepaj
and brother Alex have reopened their signature eatery, the sweet
sixteen La Finestra, serving the same Northern
Italian menu. The location, however, has changed from East Palmetto
to Southeast Mizner, so make sure you’re checking an updated
listing before you head out. La Finestra, Royal Palm Plaza,
507 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, 561-392-6729.

Nick
Nickolas is back in the game, and at 69 years old, happy to
just be playing. At one time owner of 33 restaurants, as CEO
of Harman-Nickolas Restaurant Group for more than 40 years,
he’s launched single proprietorship of his first-ever
public Florida restaurant, Nick’s Fishmarket of
Hawaii. (He closed the 18-year-old Nick's Fishmarket
at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, a private venture for guests
and club members only, this past summer.) Pupu platters for
everyone! Nick’s Fishmarket of Hawaii, 150 E. Palmetto
Park Rd., Boca Raton, 561-393-9880.

At
the new Rivals Waterfront Sports Grille, co-chefs
Chris Masco and Craig Berkower are challenging each other to
better bar food with items such as bloody Mary oyster shooters
and Kobe patty melts. And don’t forget to power down the
bar’s unique beertinis. Westin Diplomat Spa & Resort,
3460 S. Ocean Dr., Hollywood, 954-602-8760, www.rivalshollywood.com.

Renaisa Indian Restaurant has re-entered the building.
The restaurant, which was closed over the summer due to an argument
and subsequent split between owners and landlord, has reopened
under new management. Renaisa Indian Restaurant, 620 NE 78th
St., Miami, 305-758-2929.

Former
Renaisa Indian Restaurant restaurateurs Tipu Rahman and his
wife, Bithi Begum, are now running their own Heelsha
Authentic Indian Cuisine. The restaurant, which is
named for a Bangladeshi village (and the Bengal national fish),
serves the pair’s native Bangladeshi cuisine. Heelsha
Authentic Indian Cuisine, 1550 NE 164th St., North Miami Beach,
305-919-8393.

Dining
at the newly debuted Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club is a dual lesson in music theory and jazz history, with Latin-influenced
dishes ranging from “Trumpet Evolution” (chicken
stuffed with goat cheese with an orange-wine glaze) to “Arturo
Sandoval & The Latin Train” (catch of the day served
with fried boniato) to “Live at the Blue Note” (grilled
flank steak with red beans and rice). Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club,
Deauville Beach Resort, 6701 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-403-7565, www.arturosandovaljazzclub.com.

Miguel Migana, 29, is the new chef de cuisine at Bizcaya Grill, the currently Italian-style top-end restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove. Previously, Los Angeles native Magana, an Art Institute of California graduate, was chef de cuisine at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey’s Jer-Ne restaurant, a post he was awarded after mere months as the eatery’s sous chef. Bizcaya, 3300 SW 27th Ave., Coconut Grove, 305-644-4680.

Early February saw the opening of Jason’s at the Harrison, named for its executive chef Jason McClain, former chef/owner of much critically-praised and much missed 8 1/2 (which folded in September of 2007, after barely a year in business). But no use getting excited about the creamy spicy rock shrimp tempura, and all the other old 8 1/2 favorites on the new place’s menu. By early March, McClain had departed. Despite Miami’s reputation for rapid chef turnovers, the one-month stint is thought to be a new record, handily trouncing the three months that Wish’s renowned original chef, Gary Robbins, put in before fleeing back to Manhattan in 1998, and even beating chef Michael Schwartz’s briefer blitz at the Beach House Bal Harbour’s Atlantic restaurant in 2002.

China Grill Management’s Tuscan Steak recently celebrated ten years in Miami Beach by introducing a new executive chef, Benjamin Rottkamp, and a new menu that brings back several old favorite dishes from the fashionable but family-style restaurant’s baby days. Rottkamp is a 1999 Culinary Institute of America graduate, whose past credits include Joachim Splichal’s Zucca Ristorante and, most recently, a chef de cuisine post at Frank and Andrea Curto-Randazzo’s Talula. The new/old menu enables diners to party like it was 1997, with a meal including the Tuscan House Salad (pepperoni, salami, garbanzos, stringbeans, roasted peppers, olives, housemade Mozzarella); fluffy gnocchi with Gorgonzola cream sauce; truffle honey-glazed duck, or a mammoth “Florentine” sliced T-bone steak (in sizes ranging from 20 to 50 ounces) with a side of amaretto-infused whipped sweet potatoes; a decadent mixed dessert platter; and, of course, lots of white truffle oil-soaked garlic bread. Tuscan Steak, 431 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-534-2233.

Hiro Asano, whose inventive creations (like spicy crisp shrimp with chipotle aioli) transformed the menu at South Beach’s branch of the Manhattan sushi spot BondSt from copycat to uniquely clever, has left to become executive chef at Abokado, a Pan-Latin/sushi restaurant scheduled to open in late January, in downtown Miami’s Mary Brickell Village. Mike Hiraga, former sushi maestro at the currently shuttered David Bouley Evolution (and, before that, at insiders’ favorite hole-in-the-wall hotspot Hiro’s Yakko-San), has replaced Hiro at BondSt.

After
more than eight years, Loews
Hotel Miami Beach’s executive chef Marc
Ehrler is moving on–sort of. He’s
being transferred from ocean to desert, but stays within
the family as executive chef of The Loews
Ventana Canyon in Tucson Arizona. Loews Hotel Miami
Beach, 1601 Collins Ave., Miami Beach.

Cellarmaster Alejandro Ortiz, who impressed
the cognoscenti with his wine list for the luxe spot The
Restaurant at the Setai in Miami Beach, has left his
position. He’s launched his own wine exporting and
consulting company, I.O. Concepts LLC, based in Miami, exporting
American wines to Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Hong Kong.
The Setai, South Beach, 2001 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach,
305-520-6000.

Executive
chef Michael Schwartz has left afterglo.
He is currently considering new projects.

L'Opera
in downtown West Palm Beach has announced a pair of new chefs: Philippe Hourtal and John Paul Klein.
The co-chefs will come in handy, as the operation is expanding
into the space next door.

Pasquale
Lena has been named executive chef at Ristorante Luna
Rosa, which is located adjacent to the Howard Johnson’s
Resort, on the beach near the historic fishing pier. Lena was
formerly executive sous chef for four years at the Ristorante’s
sister restaurant, Caffè Luna Rosa in Delray Beach. 2096
NE 2nd St., Deerfield Beach, 954-429-8386, www.caffelunarosa.com.

Julian Greaves has replaced chef Ryan Brown at Sol
Kitchen, a Delray Beach restaurant specializing in “sun-inspired”
cuisine. Greaves has a CV that includes some of the area’s
top restaurants, including Grille
66 in Fort Lauderdale, La
Vieille Maison in Boca Raton and 32 East in Delray Beach.
4 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach 561-921-0201, www.solkitchenrestaurant.com.

Mosaico’s
dynamic Ferràn Adria disciple Jordi Vallès,
the restaurant’s opening chef, left his post in December. Juliana Gonzalez, the sous chef at Mosaico for the
past year, has been promoted to chef de cuisine.

Chef
de cuisine Michael Gilligan replaced Roger Ruchs at the Conrad’s
signature restaurant, Atrio.
The fare promises to be “sense-ational,” though
there’s pinky-swear about it being “cent-sensational.”
So don’t get your homonyms in a twist. Atrio, Conrad Miami,
1395 Brickell Ave., Miami, 305-503-6500, ext. 207, www.conradhotels.com.

Just
in time for summer, Donna Wynter has taken over the helm at Baleen, Grove
Isle’s distinctive waterfront restaurant. The menu
has yet to change but resident fans of Wynter’s former
work at Satine, Palme d’Or at The
Biltmore Hotel and Donna’s Bistro are hoping her signature
will soon emerge. Baleen, 4 Grove Isle, Coconut Grove, 305-860-4305.

A
boon for the locals as well as the tourists: Rob Boone, formerly
of Metro
Kitchen & Bar, Bambú and Norman’s, is now
the chef de cuisine at Preston’s in the Loews
Miami Beach Hotel. The in-house restaurant has been failing
to thrive under the shadow of big brother Emeril’s, but
Boone’s talent will likely drive it toward some necessary
sun. Preston’s, Loews Miami Beach Hotel, 1601 Collins
Ave., Miami Beach, 305-604-1601.

Mama
Lila’s Bistro, formerly Lila’s Bistro in
Downtown Miami has just opened a new location in Coral Gables.
Family owned and operated, the restaurant serves a mix of Latin,
Asian and Mediterranean cuisine with an emphasis on American
classics including menu items such as jumbo shrimp wrapped in
prosciutto, fresh greens and glazed walnuts tossed in goat cheese
vinaigrette, and guava glazed salmon with white rice and grilled
veggies. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily and
for brunch on Sundays. Mama Lila’s Bistro, 1915 Ponce
de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, 305-461-2424.

The
renowned Sunfish Grill has opened in its new
Fort Lauderdale location to great acclaim. Chef-proprietor Tony
Sindaco and wife Erika moved from their former Pompano Beach
location after more than eight years. Enhancements include a
sexy lounge, a full liquor license and a room for private dining.
Sunfish Grill, 2761 East Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, www.sunfishgrill.com.

It
may spring from the home of the peach, but the Atlanta-based Grape Wine Bar and Seller is now pouring vinifera
bottlings at Downtown at the Gardens. Grape Wine Bar, 11701
Lake Victoria Gardens Ave., Palm Beach Gardens, 561-694-7799.

Former
wholesalers and restaurant purveyors David and Nicole Evans
have taken their Pastry Parlor public—and
with their on-site café, where they serve home-style
soups and sandwiches, they’re doing far more than letting
us eat cake. Pastry Parlor, 906 S. Dixie Hwy, Lantana, 561-540-8040.

L'Opera
in downtown West Palm Beach has yet another new chef. Robert
Goodhue’s global offerings add to the bistro’s
largely Mediterranean menu.

Luis
Pous, a Cuban native and a graduate of the National
School of Culinary Arts in Cuba, is now executive chef at Little
Palm Island Resort & Spa in the lower Florida Keys.

Esteban Arguedas, who has been a head sushi
chef for the defunct Tsunami as well as garde manger for Donald
Trump at Mar-a-Lago, is now executive chef at Absinthe in Boca
Raton. Absinthe, Boca Center, 5150 Town Center Circle, Boca
Raton, 561-620-3754.

Richard Blais, who hails from such distinguished establishments
as The French Laundry and restaurant Daniel, is the new culinary
director at Barton
G. The Restaurant in South Beach. Barton G. The Restaurant,
1427 West Ave., Miami Beach, 305-672-8881.

Andrew
Rothschild, ex-The
Forge, is at the stove at Santo on Lincoln Road in South
Beach, which is no longer Mexican but now modern American.

Chef Michael Altman, who worked with Charlie
Palmer in New York for four years, has replaced original toque Stefano LaCava at Town Kitchen and Bar. Plaza 57, 7301
SW 57th Ct, South Miami. 305-740-8118.

News
Bytes

Free Wine Classes
At The Food Gang, owner (and longtime wine connoisseur) Patrick Charpentier is helping fellow xenophiles combat America’s predicted double-dip recession---or at least forget about it once a week---with free wine classes, every Wednesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Featured are a variety of vintages from across the globe, selected for pairing with tapas prepared by new chef Paul Anthony Morello. Reservations are required. The Food Gang, 9472 Harding Ave., Surfside, 786-228-9292.

Talula Acquires Catering Company
Frank Randazzo and Andrea Curto-Randazzo, the chefs/owners of South Beach restaurant Talula, have expanded into full-service catering with the acquisition of Creative Tastes Catering, a 17 year-old Miami-based events production company. With facilities including a 2,300-square-foot home base as well as a mobile kitchen, the husband/wife chef team can now cater everything from a massive corporate picnic to an intimate sit-down dinner or a gourmet cocktail party in visitors’ hotel suites. Specialities include butler-served hors d’oeuvres like crispy shrimp and ginger wontons with peach/blood orange dipping sauce, and small plate offerings (corn cakes with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and chipotle aioli; braised short ribs on mascarpone polenta) that reflect Talula’s menu mix of Mediterranean, Asian, and Southwestern American influences. Additionally, the Randazzos offer a variety of international-themed buffets (Authentic Tuscan, Italian-American, French Bistro, Asian, Latin, Caribbean, and more). For more information, call 305-672-0778 or visit www.creativetastes.com.

Daniel Boulud Spotlights South Florida
MOJO HD’s show “After Hours with Daniel” returned with new episodes featuring chef Daniel Boulud (of New York City’s Daniel and Bar Boulud) collaborating with chefs in Miami and New Orleans. On the series, Boulud visits with host chefs early in the day to prepare a special meal, which is later served to all the chefs plus invited food writers and local celebrities. Restaurants and host chefs from South Florida include Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink with Michael Schwartz; Ortanique on the Mile with Cindy Hutson; The Lido at The Standard Miami with Mark Zeitouni; Michy’s with Michelle Bernstein; and Sardinia Restaurant with Pietro Vardeu. Curried whole yellow tail snapper with West Indian pumpkin and local spiny lobster; rabbit braised with leeks; and whole roasted pig with Mojo sauce are just a few of the dishes that will be featured. Look for “After Hours with Daniel” on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Dinner in Paradise
Now in its fourth season, “Dinner In Paradise” offers local and visiting foodies a uniquely South Florida dining experience: idyllic all-organic al fresco dinners, prepared by top Miami restaurant chefs, at Paradise Farms, less than an hour south of the city in the rural Redlands. Designed to showcase the region’s myriad of local organic produce—some exotically tropical (and impossible to grow in other U.S. climes), some just plain tasty— the evenings include a cocktail reception, a farm tour, and a six-course meal paired with wines. Priced at $150, the upcoming dinners will feature chefs Michael Bloise (Wish), Clay Conley (Azul), and Thomas Azar (Emeril’s), on April 13th; and Larry LaVally (Mark’s South Beach), Jeff McInnis (The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach’s Dilido Beach Club), and Kira Volz (Creek 28), on April 27. Reservations: 305-248-4181 or www.paradisefarms.net.

Dinner and Drama
Dinner theatre is sure not what it used to be in grandma’s day at Spiegelworld. Presented in a historic Spiegeltent (an ornate mirror, stained glass and wood-paneled portable structure, designed in the 19th century as touring dance salons), the traveling circus/review features not only the cutting-edge Cirque du Soleil-like main show “Absinthe,” but surrounding gardens, cabanas, bars, and a suitably evocative Old World/New World restaurant. Catered by The Raleigh Hotel restaurant (whose new chef Jeffrey Brana normally serves up similarly contemporary/retro fare), the menu ranges from delightfully simple snacks such as grilled corn on the cob to Za’atar-crusted lamb chops with chick pea panisse (like Nicoise socca), or a re-invented brat plate: boudin blanc with sautéed cabbage and pears, plus mustard-dressed potato salad. The tent and its restaurant, which has been set up on the sands of South Beach since mid-December, fold on February 17. Spiegelworld, 22nd St. and Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-534-6300, x164.

Jean-Georges Spices Up Miami
In 2008, Jean-Georges Vongerichten is planning to open a Miami outpost of his New York restaurant Spice Market, which features a high-end take on Southeast Asian street food. Vongerichten and his business partner Phil Suarez are also looking to go global with the dining concept, with locations possibly popping up in Istanbul, Dubai and Barcelona.

Local Chef to Host TV ShowMichelle Bernstein, chef/owner of Michy's, is hosting “Check, Please! South Florida,” a show for local foodies on WPBT Channel 2. Each week, three guests will pick their favorite restaurants, visit these recommended restaurants anonymously, and then dish about their experiences back at the television studio. The first episode will premiere in January and feature three restaurants in South Beach, Miami and Margate.

Expanding
the Empire
Burt Rapoport, proprietor of Henry’s in Delray Beach,
Opus 5 at the Shops at Boca Center in Boca Raton and Bogart’s
Bar and Grille at the JM Lexus Premier Level at Muvico Palace
20 in Boca Raton (and partner in Max’s
Grille at Boca Raton’s Mizner Park), took over
operations at Gotham City restaurant, in Delray Beach, Florida. Rapoport, a popular industry veteran
who has influenced the palates of South Florida diners for
over twenty-five years, named John Belleme, who previously
cooked for Rapoport at other projects (including the erstwhile
Zemi, where Opus 5 now stands), as executive chef. Gotham
City was created by David Manero, who owns Vic & Angelo’s
Coal Oven Enoteca in Palm Beach Gardens and who will be
unveiling DeVito’s (as in Danny DeVito) South Beach
this spring. Gotham City, 16950 Jog Rd., Delray Beach, 561-381-0200.

All
Hail Nuevo American Cuisine
Johnny Vinczencz will return to the Astor
Hotel, where he first made his name as executive chef
of Astor Place. In December, he opened his second restaurant,
Johnny V South Beach, at the hotel. He will continue to
operate Johnny
V Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale, where longtime right-hand
Dwayne Adams will oversee day-to-day operations. Astor alum
Kelly Sheehan will rejoin Johnny V as chef de cuisine of
the South Beach shop. Johnny V South Beach, 956 Washington
Ave., Miami Beach.

Marking
Up Lunch
Mark Militello, owner of Mark’s
Las Olas, one of South Florida’s most critically-acclaimed
dining destinations, has begun serving lunch, Mond.- Fri.,
noon-2:30 p.m. “We haven’t served lunch at the
restaurant for several years now, but I decided the timing
was right to start up again,” Militelle notes. “As
someone who has lunch out most days, I’ve noticed
that there are very few options available if you want to
have an upscale meal midday. In most major U.S. cities,
as well as in Europe, there are plenty of options –
and I think this market is ripe for a true lunch destination.”
Mark’s Las Olas, 1032 E. Las Olas Blvd., 954-463-1000.

Now
On the Tapas TrainOLA
Steak has been revamped as OLA Steak and Tapas. The menu
now offers an assortment of small, mix-and-match hot and cold
tapas ranging from marinated Spanish anchovies served in a roasted
Yukon gold potato to a signature white salad of frisée,
toasted almond, white grapes, asparagus, feta and Amaretto gelée.
OLA Steak and Tapas, Village of Merrick Park, 320 San Lorenzo
Ave., #1320, Coral Gables, 305-461-4442.

Vacation
from LunchCarmen
The Restaurant will be closed for lunch during the months
of June and July, then reopening in August with the beginning
of Miami Spice month. The restaurant is still available to host
private luncheon events for 20 people or more.

Double
W
Florent Blanchet and Eddy le Garrec, proprietors of the charming
little W Wine Bistro in the Design District of Miami, are in
the process of opening a second boutique at 1328 Alton Rd. on
Miami Beach.

Sommelier
Shuffle
Sebastien Verrier, the long-time sommelier at La
Palme d’Or at The
Biltmore Hotel, has gone over to Casa Casuarina (the upscale
night club on the premises of the erstwhile Versace mansion).

Dolphins'
Team Effort
Henry Barrow, a former radio commentator for the Miami Dolphins
and wine buyer for Gardner’s Markets, has joined Jimmy
Cefalo, former Dolphins coach, as wine director at Cefalo’s
Wine Corner. The new wine shop, bar, courtyard, cellar and gourmet
Italian market will be located on the site of Miami’s
historic Taurus restaurant and is a more expansive version of
the celebrated coach’s first effort, Cefalo’s Wine
Cellar, which closed this May. Cefalo’s Wine Corner is
projected to open in September. 3540 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove.

Can't
Get Enough Coal
The coal-fired pizza craze continues: Anthony’s Coal-Fired
Pizza is set to open its third location in North Miami shortly,
and Vic & Angelo’s Coal Oven Pizza will open the first
of four planned sites in Palm Beach Gardens in the near future.
South Florida’s ozone layer might suffer, but palates
will surely be pleased.

Neighborly
AcquisitionThe
Riverside Hotel, downtown Fort Lauderdale’s most unique
and historic lodgings, has acquired neighboring Brio Mediterranean
Bistro as part of an overall culinary expansion scheme. The
menu has been retooled but still focuses on fresh Mediterranean
dishes including paella, pasta and pizza from the brick oven.

Pacific
Time All Day
Having recently and successfully added lunch hours, Pacific
Time is now going to be open all day long. A new bar menu
has been added, and summer specials will include happy hour
two-for-one drinks; “Wine Down Mondays” with half-off
bottle prices; prix fixe meals; and an expanded children’s
menu.

Hy-Vong
Rolls Out Specialties
Vietnamese restaurant Hy-Vong has begun marketing its popular beef and pork rolling cakes
at Gardner’s Markets locations throughout Miami.

Wine
Helps Wipe Out Cancer
The 2006 Biltmore International Food & Wine Weekend raised
more than $250,000 in revenues, with net proceeds to benefit
the UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Norman’s chef de cuisine Jeffrey Brana has resigned
his position, along with wife Anna Elena, who was chef-owner
Norman Van Aken’s marketing manager and personal assistant
for many years. The pair has moved onto a new project. Meanwhile,
Van Aken has made ten-year Norman's vet Frank Ferreiro chef de cuisine. 21 Almeria Ave., Coral Gables, 305-446-6767.

Michael
Gilligan, formerly of Rumi, is the new chef de cuisine
at Atrio in the Conrad.
His signature style blends Asian and Latin American influences.
(See "Bytes" for more on Chef
Gilligan.) 1395 Brickell Ave., Miami, 305-530-6529.

News
Bytes

Doraku,
the boutique sushi restaurant and lounge located on Lincoln
Road, has reopened for lunch; Benihana’s VP of marketing
Kevin Aoki says his regulars were “up in arms” by
the temporary closure. In addition, the restaurant unveils an
exciting new drink menu, developed by general manager/saké
sommelier Adrian Najara, on Monday, May 1. The fifteen-drink,
Asian-inspired menu includes new creations such as the Doraku
ginger ale, a medley of ginger-infused vodka, fresh lemon and
lime, club soda and Doraku’s housemade ginger ale as well
as the “fire-breathing dragon,” a hot and cold concoction
with infused mango vodka, red pepper, Serrano chile and fresh
mango nectar. Complimentary tastings will be available between
5 p.m. and 9 p.m., May 1-4 (offer limited to one drink per customer).
1104 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, 305-695-8383, www.dorakusushi.com.

Noir
Bar at the Conrad has reopened after months of recovery from the 2005 hurricane
trifecta. The chic, intimate black boîte, located on the
25th floor of the hotel and adjacent to the superb Atrio, is
once again the perfect spot to unwind with sexy cocktails, reasonably
priced fine wines by the glass, and a delectable bar menu, created
by Conrad Miami’s newly anointed chef de cuisine, Michael
Gilligan. Items range from yuca fritas with mango-habanera dipping
sauce to baked crab cakes with grilled corn and chipotle aioli,
all a natural match for the signature Noir martini, a mix of
Blavad black vodka, blue curacao, peach schnapps and sweet &
sour. 1395 Brickell Ave., Miami, 305-530-6529.

O-R-o has new operating hours: Sunday to Thursday from 7 p.m.-11 p.m.
and Friday to Saturday from 7 p.m. to midnight. The restaurant
also has a new website, www.o-R-o.com,
with a complete listing of all menus, photos and banquet event
information.

Taco
Max has morphed into Arturo’s Taco Mex,
according to chef-owner Arturo Gonzalez. Okay with us, as long
as the foie gras taco doesn't become the chopped liver burrito.
7931 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-759-7774.

For
those missing the T-bone, fried onion rings and Gorgonzola salad
served for 50 years at Manero’s, located
across from Gulf Stream race track, mourn no more. Though that
restaurant is gone, with the very building scheduled for demolition
to make way for—what else—condominiums, the three
signature items have survived. Nearby restaurant Joseph’s
on the Water, whose owners the Maggi family are good
friends with the Manero family, has added them to its menu for
longtime Manero’s customers to enjoy. And if you call
Manero’s old number, Joseph’s answers—they
had it forwarded. How’s that for loyalty? 1975 S. Ocean
Dr., Hallandale Beach, 954-455-6996, www.josephsonthewater.com.

Mendoza
Matters
Is it an opening, a closing or a reunion? First it was the much-ballyhooed
but short-lived La Broche, then it was the even briefer Biscayne
Bistro, followed by the Argentine chef Francis Mallman’s
Mendoza, a bigger flop than recent Oscar up-dos. Now the restaurant
space, still called Mendoza,
is back under the management of Biscayne Bistro owners Roberto
and Cheska Cavalcanti, while the chef is Alex Rubio, formerly
of Pulcinella Restaurant, 94th Aero Squadron and—you guessed
it—Mendoza. Meanwhile, the cuisine is Mediterranean with
Latin American accents, with appetizers such as gazpacho with
crab meat and oven roasted crab cakes with mixed greens and
pomegranate sauce, and entrées like salt-crusted fish
with spinach and baby potatoes and rack of lamb with julienne
of zucchini and mashed potatoes. Go figure, because we sure
can’t. 1155 Brickell Bay Dr., Miami, 305-377 4442.

Good
Cause
Legal Sea Foods raised $7,500 to benefit Miami Children’s
Hospital Foundation (MCHF) by donating a portion of Gift Certificate
sales during the holidays at the company’s three South
Florida restaurants. This was the fifth year for the Gift Certificate
program in South Florida, which is an extension of Legal’s
long-standing annual tradition, begun in Boston, of partnering
with community organizations in fundraising efforts during the
holiday season. The Florida campaign has generated $30,000 in
the past five seasons that it has been in operation, bringing
the total to
$ 37,500 raised.

Couscous
and Co.
Christian Nazon and David Sultan have taken over Moroccan
Nights, adding belly dancing and Middle Eastern music
nightly along with a change of menu. Look for homemade grilled
Moroccan beef sausages, baked eggplant with tahini sauce, a
variety of different couscous dishes and a selection of tagine,
including one stewed with prunes and another with olives. 9555
Harding Ave., Surfside, 305-865-5333.

New
at DorakuDoraku has new hours. The South Beach restaurant, no longer serving
lunch or brunch, is now open everyday from 4 p.m.-1 a.m. 1104
Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach.

Talula
is Back with New Menu
After two hurricanes, a fire and the birth of a new baby, Talula chef-owners Frank Randazzo and Andrea Curto-Randazzo have bounced
back with a new menu. It includes appetizers such as tender
hamachi ceviche on a puddle of lime-soy & ginger root marinade,
with sliced chiles, avocados and crispy malanga strips, and
entrées such as New Zealand venison loin crusted in lavender,
black peppercorns and herbs, seared and served with a rich porcini-leek
bread pudding and ancho-glazed Japanese eggplant, and drizzled
with a vinaigrette made of cold-smoked grapes, rendered pancetta
and balsamic vinegar. 210 23rd St., Miami Beach, 305-672-0778, www.talulaonline.com.

New
at North One 10 North One 10 is offering a prix-fixe dinner menu from 5:30
p.m. to 7 p.m. for $28 and prix fixe lunch for $18, available
Monday through Friday. 11052 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami, 305-893-4211.

Get
Lost, Locanda
Locanda Sibilla has dropped the "Locanda." Now just
called Sibilla, the Italian al fresco bistro,
with a touch of Latin and tropical influences, is part of the
international chain of restaurants called the Bice Group. 833
Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, 305-695-1613.

Bring
Joe's Home
Miami’s internationally renowned Joe’s
Stone Crab has taken a cue from the “soup that eats
like a meal” people and gone into the retail business.
The regionally focused seafood restaurant, known for its stone
crab claws and other local products, is doing it one better,
however: Joe’s Hearty Entrée Soups are flash-frozen,
using new and unique technology, as opposed to canned. Add a
little water, stick ‘em in a microwave, and in six minutes
you’ve got a fourteen-ounce serving that’s designed
to be an entire lunch or light dinner. At $3.99 per, the soups
come in three flavors—New England Clam Chowder, Shrimp
and Scallop Minestrone and Shrimp Noodle—and are a lot
easier on the wallet than the stone crabs.

Early
Bird gets the Food Deal
It’s really just another name for the early bird special: Art Café has announced its Sundowner
Supper Club. Monday through Friday, only-at-dusk diners (6 p.m.
to 7:30 p.m.) can partake of a two-course menu for $19.99. The
deal includes a glass of wine. Art Café, 427 Jefferson
Ave., Miami Beach, 305-531-0770.

Brunch
and the ClassicsTalula restaurant has launched “Sunset Strip” Sunday Brunch.
No, it’s not a new type of naked worship. Rather, priced
at $30 per person (excluding tax, gratuity and beverages), the
buffet-style brunch, filled with classic and contemporary American
delicacies, will show movies on the restaurant’s flat-screen
TV and have hand-picked music from the era to play. “Think
Ella Fitzgerald and a lot of Sinatra,” co-chef/owner Andrea
Curto-Randazzo adds. Or, at least, think about singing along.
210 23rd St., Miami Beach, 305-672-0778, www.talulaonline.com.

Late
LunchChina Grill is offering a prix-fixe lunch menu,
prepared for two to twenty people and served family-style. Depending
on the amount in your party, you choose from two appetizers,
a main course, a side dish and dessert sampler. The lunch runs
weekdays from noon till 6 p.m. Wait a second—won’t
that spoil your dinner? 404 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-
534-2211.

Mark
your Calendars
The prix-fixe is also on at Mark’s
South Beach, where the alliteratively named executive chef
Larry LaValley offers a three-course dinner priced at $45 per
person exclusive of tax and gratuity, and lunch is $25 for the
same deal. The special menus are available every day for lunch,
and for dinner Sunday through Thursday. Hotel
Nash, 1120 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-604-9050.

No
Need to Squeeze Your PocketbookOrtanique
on the Mile calls it “The Squeeze” lunch menu.
At $20.05, we call it a tasty bargain. The three-course meal
will be offered year-round, but the menu will change periodically
to feature chef-proprietor Cindy Hutson’s continuous creativity.
Other Ortanique specials include the half-calorie mojitos offered
during Sunday Night Jazz Quartet evenings and half-price mojitos
(that’s two for one and double the calories) at Monday
Night Mojito Madness celebrations. 278 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables,
305-446-7710.

Roast
Pigs at OLA Steak
The pig roast, made famous at OLA in the parking lot of the
now-closed Biscayne Boulevard location, has moved to OLA
Steak. Enjoy the same roast suckling pig, straight out of
the la caja china, along with $5 mojitos and margaritas.
But note the difference—rather than Thursday happy hours,
the pig roast is now a family-friendly sport, running Saturdays
and Sundays from noon till 4 p.m. and featuring live music.
Village of Merrick Park, 320 San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables,
304-461-4446.

Pick the Piccolo
From pigs to truffles—it’s a natural progression.
And Acqua at Four
Seasons Hotel Miami has them in the blanco version, direct
from the Alba region of Italy. At $20 per five to eight gram
shaving while they last, the truffles are available to garnish
any dish. Chef Marco Bax recommends adding them to the weekly
piccolo, or prix-fixe, menu, created especially to pair with
the fragrant fungi. Four Seasons Hotel Miami, 1435 Brickell
Ave. (14th St.), Miami, 305-358-3535.

Go
to B.E.D.B.E.D. Beverage. Entertainment. Dining has
announced its new winter menu. Cuddle up under the covers with
dishes including “Sesame Scented Ahi Tuna Napoleon with
Goat’s Yogurt Tzatziki;” “Caribbean Lobster
and Baked Pineapple, Celery, Tomatoes with a Coconut Cashew
Ginger Sauce;” and the “Love Stack: Mamey Cheesecake
over a Cinnamon Crème Brulée with Chocolate and
Honey-Vanilla sauces.” Just don’t wipe your chocolate-stained
hands on the pillowcases. That’s what your partner is
for. 929 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-532-9070, www.bedmiami.com.

Il
Mulino Expansion
Acqualina, A Rosewood Resort, has been in the Sunny Isles Beach
works for a while. Expect to see another multi-nomial, Il Mulano
New York, courtesy of Abruzzo, Italy natives and brothers Fernando
and Gino Masci, as its signature independent restaurant, slated
to open February 2006. This marks the first expansion for Il
Mulino New York, and given that we’re an NYC Borough,
we’d say it’s a natural one. 17780 Collins Ave.,
2nd Fl., Sunny Isles Beach, 305-936-9088. www.acqualinaresort.com/dining.cfm.

Culinary
Affairs at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival
The 43rd Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival, taking place February
18 through 20, 2006, is now a lure for the gastronome. In addition
to the wide array of traditional quick eats and casual food
items enjoyed by throngs of Festival guests, the 2006 Coconut
Grove Arts Festival will feature new restaurant-style dining
options from two fine restaurants–Casa Larios (Larios
Café) and Tropical
Chinese. The Festival will also debut their new Culinary
Arts area, a tented pavilion offering free educational seminars,
live chef demonstrations for kids and adults and much more.

Lunch
at North One 10
Lunch is back at North One 10, just in time for those who need
a refuge from holiday madness or who want to celebrate the conclusion
of Biscayne Boulevard construction in this area. And for vicarious
eclectic comfort, chef-owner Dewey LoSasso and wife/co-owner
Dade have also launched a new website.
11052 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami, 305-893-4211.

Boca
Bacchanal Set for MarchThe
Boca Raton Historical Society has announced the pairings of
the Vintner Dinner chefs, vintners and venues for Boca Bacchanal,
the weekend winefest and auction planned for March 10-11 to
benefit its Heritage Education Programs. There will be eight
extraordinary and delicious Vintner Dinners, with quirky and
thought-provoking names such as “The Italian Casanova
Courts a Trio of Boca Belles” and “The Leaping Frog
joins Atlanta’s Prandial Prince? A Culinary Conundrum!”
on Friday, March 10, to launch the festivities. For information,
contact the Boca Raton Historical Society at 561.395.6766 X
101 or at www.bocabacchanal.com.

Happy
Hour, Roger That
Happy hour has never been more accessible than at Roger’s
Waterfront Bar and Grill,
where the barbecue—twelve-spice dry rub signature ribs,
chorizo, herb-marinated mahi mahi skewers, mini-burgers and
chicken lollipops—is $5, the watermelon margaritas, made
with fresh purée, are 2-for-1 and the valet parking is
free. A daily 2-for-1 shrimp and oyster menu is an added bonus
if you’ve got the room. 1601 79th St. Causeway, Miami
Beach, 305-866-7111.

Wall
of Visionaries at The Capital Grille
Who knew peddling rum could be so respectable? On Tuesday, January,
10 p.m., The
Capital Grille will unveil the newest addition to its wall
of business visionaries—a portrait of Bacardi's founder,
Don Facundo Bacardí Massó at a V.I.P., invitation-only
reception. The Don Facundo Bacardí Massó portrait
will join other portraits on display including Henry Flagler,
John S. Collins, Julia Tuttle and George E. Merrick.

Honoring
Van Aken
Thefourth annual International Summit of Gastronomy
Madrid Fusión, taking place January 17-19, 2006, in Madrid,
Spain, will honor South Florida’s own Norman Van Aken,
along with colleagues Mark Miller, Paul Prudhomme and Alice
Waters, as one of the “Founders of the New American Cuisine.”
The award is granted to those who have pioneered dining trends
in the States. As an interesting footnote, though, Van Aken
has recently put his flagship restaurant Norman’s in Coral Gables up for sale. For more information on Madrid
Fusión and its schedule of events, visit www.madridfusion.net.
For more info on Van Aken, check out www.normans.com.

Neo-technical
Spanish ConceptKaru & Y are not the newest comedy team
on the circuit. Rather, they’re the latest restaurant
(Karu) and lounge (Y) to piggyback on a concept—otherwise
known as the venue-within-a-venue syndrome. In this case, the
restaurant and lounge will be adjacent to the Ice Palace Film
Studios and is slated to try a neo-technical Spanish concept.
Expected to open sometime this fall after a year of pre-press,
the 19,000-square-foot behemoth features a 7,000-square-foot
private room for celebrities to host private parties marking
the beginning or end of filming, or for just plain celebrating.
At the helm: Chef Alberto Cabrera, formerly of Baleen, Norman’s
and the controversial La Broche. Karu & Y, 71 NW 14th St.,
Miami, 305-403-7850.

Get Your Tickets on October 20
It’s a mouthful alright: The 2006 South Beach
Wine & Food Festival is featuring “Decoding
Ferran Adrià: The Tribute dinner” on Saturday,
February 25. The dinner in the culinary innovator’s honor,
orchestrated by colleagues and friends Thomas Keller, Gray Kunz,
Nobu Matsuhisa, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Miami’s
own Norman Van Aken, will take place at the Loews Miami Beach
Hotel, headquarters and host of the fifth annual festival (7p.m.
to 11p.m., price $600). Now here’s the important part:
Tickets go on sale October 20 and are expected to sell out as
fast as Green Day’s. Visit the festival website www.sobewineandfoodfest.com or call 877-762-3933.

Miami
Socialite
She’s baaaack—and we couldn’t be
happier. Fresh from her MB restaurant in the Fiesta Americana
Hotel in Cancún, renowned chef Michelle Bernstein has
partnered with Steve Perricone and is developing Michy’s,
a comfortably priced, Jewish-Latino restaurant on the Upper
East Side. The gastronomic multi-tasker has also joined Jeffrey
Chodorow’s China Grill Management as chef consultant for
two new national restaurants—Social Miami at
the Sagamore Hotel in Miami Beach and Social Hollywood at the Hollywood Athletic Club in Los Angeles. She’ll
collaborate with Social Miami executive chef Sean Mohamed (formerly
of Blue Door at Delano) on a global "small plates"
menu for Social Miami.

Pascal Debuts New Menu
In South Florida, where restaurants age as rapidly as large
dogs, award-winning chef-proprietor Pascal Oudin is celebrating
the five-year anniversary of his namesake contemporary French
restaurant, Pascal’s
on Ponce, with the launch of a new menu.
Look for local blue crab cake with chilled tomato gazpacho and
avocado as a starter; diver sea scallops and beef short ribs
served with young fennel, carrot rounds and asparagus or filet
mignon "Farci" with escargot Provencal, au gratin
potatoes and horseradish sauce as main courses; and baked Alaska
with strawberry and vanilla ice cream and Grand Marnier meringue
for a final sweet. Pascal’s on Ponce, 2611 Ponce de Leon
Blvd., Coral Gables, 305-444-2024.

ORo
with a View
Uber-maitre d’ George Slover, who has handled the front
of the house for Barton
G. The Restaurant and The
Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, just couldn’t resist: He’s
branching out on his own. The 150+ seat oRo will
open in SoFi—that’s south of Fifth Street on SoBe
(South Beach). Slover is promising divine cuisine, hip décor
and over-the-top views, quite literally speaking, as the restaurant
will be located in the second story of the building at the Miami
Beach Marina (formerly Monty’s on the Beach’s fine-dining
component). oRo, 300 Alton Rd., Miami Beach.

Moving
and ShakingPicnicsat Allen’s Drugstore has left the building.
And that’s not metaphoric. The 50’s-era soda fountain
and diner has moved into its own free-standing quarters a few
miles down the road. (A Latin café takes its place in
the all-American drugstore digs.) Picnics, 6500 Bird Rd., Miami,
305-665-6964.

Get
Your Fruit On
In an effort to enhance and promote Florida’s tropical
fruit industry, the Tropical Fruit Growers of South Florida
(TFGSF) will feature fabulous fresh Florida-grown tropical fruit
in the upcoming “Taste of the Florida Tropics” educational
television series. Featuring award-winning chef Allen Susser
and local growers, delicious recipes and fun tidbits about tropical
fruits will be shared with consumers on local cable television
outlets of Cable Tap, every Friday-Sunday until December 20.
The shows air twice a day every Friday, Saturday and Sunday
at 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. On October 14-16 and 21-23, guest
Bill Mee of Lycheesonline.com offers info and recipes about
lychees; on October 28-30 and November 4-6, Marc Ellenby of
LNB Farms shows how to use frozen tropical fruits in drinks
and other recipes. Tropical Fruit Growers of South Florida,
18710 SW 288th St., Homestead, 305-401-1502. Show schedules
can also be found at www.tropicalfruitgrowers.com.

Big Fish Story
The long-running riverside eatery Big Fish (55 SW Miami Ave., 305-373-1770) is closed, for the umpteenth
time since its incarnation, for renovations. Estimated re-opening
is in October 2005.

OLA
is Relocating
Douglas Rodriguez’s pan-Latin protégé has
ceased function at 5061 Biscayne Blvd. He’s bringing the
concept to South Beach instead at 455 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach,
in late August. But don’t mourn the Thursday pig roast
too much. The infamous happy hour has moved location and time
to Friday at the OLA
Steak location in Village of Merrick Park. From 4 p.m.-5
p.m., get your free mojitos and complimentary tapas. Until 8
p.m., enjoy draft beers from $2.50-$3.50, well drinks for $4.50
and snacks. OLA Steak, 320 San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables, 305-461-4442.

Label
Readers, Take Note
Legal Sea Foods has introduced a special menu for those afflicted
by celiac disease (also called sprue), an autoimmune disorder
caused by an allergy to gluten in wheat and grains that affects
the digestive process of the small intestine. Nearly one person
in every 133 healthy, average Americans suffers from celiac
disease including, it’s rumored, some food writers. So
keep your eyes open for critics, if you can tear them away from
your gluten-free plate. Town Center, 6000 W. Glades Rd., Boca
Raton, 561-447-2112; Palladium City Place, 550 S. Rosemary Ave.,
West Palm Beach, 561-838-9000.

Get Your Fruit On
In an effort to enhance and promote Florida’s tropical
fruit industry, the Tropical Fruit Growers of South Florida
(TFGSF) will feature fresh Florida-grown tropical fruit in the
upcoming “Taste of the Florida Tropics”
educational television series. Featuring award-winning chef
Allen Susser and local growers, delicious recipes and fun tidbits
about tropical fruits will be shared with consumers on local
cable television outlets of Cable Tap, every Friday-Sunday until
December 20. The shows air twice a day every Friday, Saturday
and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. On August 5-7 and 12-14,
grower Roberto Perez and chef Allen cook with Florida sapodilla;
August 19-21 and 26-28 features grower Roger Washington with
fun pitahaya (dragon fruit) facts and recipes. Show schedules
can also be found at www.tropicalfruitgrowers.com.

Dollarhide Debuts in South Florida
Who knew? St. Supéry Vineyards & Winery chose to
release its 2004 Limited Edition Dollarhide Sauvignon Blanc
exclusively to the South Florida public (otherwise it’s
available at the winery and online). “South Florida boasts
an eclectic dining landscape, which makes it perfect for test
marketing the Dollarhide Sauvignon Blanc,” said St. Supéry
CEO Michaela Rodeno. “We’ve hand-selected restaurants
in the area to include the Dollarhide on their wine list.”
Find out which ones at www.stsupery.com.

For
the Road Rage-less
South Beach and London neighborhood restaurant fave Balans won approval from the Miami Zoning Board to open an 18,000-square-foot
sibling with a 22-car parking lot on the Upper Eastside. Morningside
and Bayside residents are peeved about potential traffic problems,
but gastronomes aren’t complaining about the development
of this neglected site. Balans folk go before the City Commission
for final approvals in July and September. Balans, 68th &
Biscayne Blvd., Miami.

Spice
It Up
It’s nearly that time of year again: the annual Miami
Spice Month, whose name is now just a wee bit off, will take
place in August and September. Participating restaurants to
date are listed at www.miamirestaurantmonth.com.

If
You Can't Take the Heat...
Michael Bloise, executive chef of Wish at The
Hotel (801 Collins Ave., 305-531-2222), had his come true
on PBS’ show “Cooking Under Fire.” An episode
featuring him airs on July 7. For more PBS fun, check out Norman
Van Aken, preparing “Apple-Stuffed Crêpes with Dulce
de Leche Sugarcane Barbecue’d Duck with smoky Plantain
Crema” on July 23. It’s a mouthful just to say,
let alone make and eat.

An SOS Success
Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation Miami® raised a
record-breaking $111,000 this year. "Thanks to the generous
support of our sponsors, chefs and The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne,
we attracted more people than ever before to SOS Taste of the
Nation Miami and will donate 100% of ticket purchases to fight
childhood hunger," said Allen Susser of Chef Allen's, longtime
chair of the event. "We raised more money this year than
any other event in Taste of the Nation Miami's 19-year history."

Conley
in the Big AppleAzul chef Clay Conley will cook at the James Beard House in New York
on September 7. Joining Chef Conley will be Azul sommelier Richard
Hales and executive pastry chef Patrick Lassaque. The five-course
menu specially created for this occasion includes such dishes
as Hawaiian tuna tartar, Moroccan inspired Colorado lamb and
caramelized spice ice cream. For information call 305-913-8358.

Greetings
from Peru
When executive chef of Sonesta Hotel & Suites Coconut Grove
Christopher Cramer returned from Peru, he brought back a wife,
along with a new commitment to Peruvian cuisine. Now on the
menu at Panorama Restaurant and Lounge: ravioles dorados (fried dim sum filled with minced beef, peppers and onions); choritos a la chalaca (steamed mussels with a corn,
tomato & onion salsa); pastel de choclo (corn cake
filled with queso fresco and duck confit topped with a porcini
mushroom sauce); and various ceviches and tiraditos including conchas de jengibre (scallops with lime juice, garlic
and pickled ginger). Panorama Restaurant and Lounge, 2889 McFarlane
Rd., Coconut Grove, 305-447-8256.

Rapoport
Takes Over
Noted South Florida restaurateur, Burt Rapoport, has taken over
the food and beverage operations at the JM Lexus Premier at
Muvico Palace 20 in Boca Raton. Rapoport, who will be changing
the official name of the restaurant in the fall to Bogart’s
Bar and Grille, will feature a menu comprised of signature items
from his other popular eateries, Opus 5 and Max’s Grille,
in Boca Raton, and Henry’s in Delray Beach, along with
some favorites from two of his former Boca Raton restaurants
Mon Ami (which he just sold this August), as well as Prezzo.

Closings

The barely year-old Casa Toscana Wine and Gourmet Shop, in Miami Shores, has closed. Ongoing road construction in front of the store, as well as hassles due to the village’s over-restrictive (many would say downright backward) zoning laws had plagued the market/café since its opening in the spring of 2007. According to owner Sandra Stefani, the shop’s educational wine tastings and cooking classes, plus a limited selection of artisan products, will be available at her long locally-popular Upper East Side trattoria, Casa Toscana. Casa Toscana, 7001 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami; 786-262-6408.

After closing Mark’s South Beach about a month ago, chef Mark Militello has now closed Mark’s Las Olas, in Fort Lauderdale.

Karu & Y, the $25 million “alta cocina” restaurant/lounge that opened less than a year and a half ago in one of the city of Miami’s most depressed areas, has switched off the Dale Chihuly chandelier and closed. Y Ultralounge is scheduled to re-open, after sprucing up, in time for the Winter Music Conference in late March. And though there’s no timetable, as yet, co-owner Cesar Sotomayor says it will likely re-open with a Mediterranean theme, a big name chef, and big-bucks backers from out of town.

PearlRestaurant & Lounge, the upstairs restolounge serving as the formal fine dining component of South Beach’s notorious model/model wannabe hangout Nikki Beach, has closed, and re-opened as Club Nikki. The new venue is a resto-free lounge, with no food (unless you count Champagne, and eye candy).

Ending a shocking food year with a bang, Chispa Restaurant & Bar (translation: “spark”) in Coral Gables–a Nuevo Latino hotspot that opened four years ago with trendies lined up around the block–joined, in December, the funeral procession of top Miami eateries that closed in 2007. These included Norman’s, Pacific Time, Johnny V South Beach, afterglo, Max’s Grille, Madiba, Duo, Fifty, 8 1/2, and, first to fold, in January, 2007, the barely six-month-old food critics’ favorite Restaurant Brana. A second Chispa, which opened last year in Doral (with similar contemporary Latin decor, and a similar Nuevo Latino menu by longtime Chispa executive chef Adam Votaw) remains open, for lunch and dinner daily. Chispa Doral, 11500 NW 41st St., Doral.

David Bouley Evolution in Miami Beach has closed. However, chef David Bouley, whose other restaurants include Bouley and Danube in New York, told the Miami Herald that the closing is temporary and that the restaurant should reopen soon under the same name.

After 27 years, the traditional French restaurant Cafe
du Parc, located in Lake Park and owned by Marie
and Pierre Latuberne, has closed.

It
was a very short year: After about only twelve months in
business, Max’s Grille in Coral Gables has pulled the plug. Locations in Boca Raton and Palm Beach
Gardens are still running strong, however. Max’s Grille,
2 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, 305-567-2600, www.maxsgrille.com.

Salero,
struggling to hang on after its more notable sister Mosaico
went under last year, has finally left us. Salero, 1000
South Miami Ave., Miami, 305-371-3473.

Jalapeno
Jax on Miami’s Upper East Corridor has closed.

Say
farewell to a dining room with a view: o-R-o has disappeared from the South Beach scene.

Boca
Raton’s venerable La Vieille has shut
down operations after 30 years in business.

Tsunami in West Palm Beach’s CityPlace has gone under.

Restaurant
M. Woods has closed its Low Country doors at 12953
Biscayne Blvd. in North Miami Beach. Lordy, but we’ll
miss that fried yard bird (chicken).

Roger’s
Waterfront Bar and Grill has abandoned attempts to
salvage its reputation at 1601 79th Street Cswy. in North Bay
Village. When even happy hour is a misery, you know it’s
time to go.

The
venerable Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House is a victim of the times. The ancient deli will be replaced
by condos that feature a Jerry’s Famous Deli—another
brand of Rascal House’s parent company—instead.
But can anything really replace those ginormous prune Danish?

Most
people expect their lawns to retire in autumn. So the demise
of Grass, the Design District’s trendiest
entry of the past couple of years, is right in season. And given
the fall of interest from the culinary-minded, it’s not
entirely surprising, either.

Owner
Alan Roth has closed Rumi, the once-popular
supper club on Lincoln Road, and is beginning renovations for
a new concept in the same spot. Stay tuned for ATM—Asian
Tasting Menu—a moniker that will no doubt provoke a bank
vault’s worth of puns (so allow me to be first).

Forget
Elvis—the ham(burger) has left the building. Cheeburger
Cheeburger, an institution on Las Olas Boulevard long
before anybody realized it was a chain, numbers among the dearly
departed. Some are blaming the neighboring introduction of another
chain, known to some only as Cheecake Cheecake...

Bistro
Zinc has shut its Aventura doors. The five-year-old
restaurant was proprietor Mogens Mueller’s follow-up to
his long-running, erstwhile Tivoli in North Miami Beach.

Chez
Rosie, the rickety dive of a Haitian place on Biscayne
Boulevard that nevertheless made great stewed oxtail and fried
pork, has closed down in preparation for a move. Let’s
hope the new digs reflect the quality of the cuisine this time
around.

The
building in which Oggi Caffè has resided
for the past decade is being renovated. So the beloved Italian
eatery is closed. Fortunately, it’s only temporary—the
venue has plans to move practically across the street. 1740
79th St. Causeway, North Bay Village, 305-866-1238.

Smitty’s,
an institution for downtown right-wing politicos, left-of-center
journalists and assorted anti-establishment academics, has been
sold. The 64-year-old business closes its creaky doors for good
on July 2 at 3 p.m. Myra and Ted Tampouris, who have owned the
venerable diner for the past 11 years, will be on hand to help
grieved patrons go gently into that good afternoon. Smitty's,
3195 NE Second Ave., Miami, 305-573-3162.

The
world still turns but Mundo has bid us a bittersweet
adios: The only non-eponymous restaurant owned by South Florida’s
busiest celebrity chef, Norman Van Aken, closed in early April. Villagio, of the Tommy Billante group that
created Mezzanotte and owns Carpaccio, Carnevale and Sugo, among others, has taken its place, serving its crowd-pleasing
Italian standards. Villagio, 358 San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables,
305-447-8144.

The
much-beloved Biscayne Wine Merchants & Bistro (738 NE 125th St., North Miami) has closed, owing to the sale
of the building that housed it for the last fifteen years. Owners
Jan Sitko and Esther Flores plan to re-open when they find a
suitable location.

Renaisa has closed on 79th St. Causeway in
Miami.

L’Entrecote
de Paris has closed on Washington Avenue on South Beach.

The
Ritz-Carlton, Manalapan’s Grill Room is among
the dear and departed. After renovations, two stylish restaurants
will take its place, most likely to be unveiled during the holidays.

Capri
Blu has closed in its original downtown on West Dixie
Highway in West Palm Beach location after ten years. It will
reopen in new digs at 251 Sunrise Ave. in Palm Beach in late
September.

The
historic Testa's Restaurant, closed after a
February fire, will reopen in September. 221 Royal Poinciana
Way, Palm Beach.

Due
to a fire on the eighth floor of the David William Hotel in
Coral Gables and the resulting water and smoke damage, Carmen
the Restaurant, located in the lobby, was destroyed.
No word on when or if the restaurant will relocate.

The
Painted Horse Café on West Dixie Highway in
West Palm Beach has closed.

The
Atrium supper club in Boca Raton is closed.

Delray
Beach’s Splendid Blended has closed.

Sublime is closed—again. The Fort Lauderdale gourmet
vegan restaurant had finally reopened this early summer after
hurricanes Katrina and Wilma had battered it the year before.
But a partner dispute has sealed the doors once again. Principal
owner Nanci Alexander vows to reopen. Watch this space.

The
71-year-old Fu Manchu, open since 1935, and
the second oldest restaurant in Miami Beach after Joe’s
Stone Crab (open since 1913), has shut down. Owners Julius and
Lucy Yee and Jesus and Vicky Li, who purchased the restaurant
35 years ago, have retired. Fu Manchu, 325 71st St., Miami Beach.